


Goddamn Seitan, or How Dean Met Cas at the Natural Foods Co-op

by Speary



Category: Supernatural
Genre: AU, Bisexual Dean, Christmas Fluff, Dean Cooks, Destiel - Freeform, Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts, Family Bonding, Fluff, M/M, SO MUCH FLUFF, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Thanksgiving Dinner, puns, seitan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-29
Updated: 2015-11-08
Packaged: 2018-04-01 19:36:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 38,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4032067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Speary/pseuds/Speary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean enjoys cooking the annual holiday meals for his family. This year, though, Sam's vegetarian girlfriend is going to come over for Thanksgiving. Dean does not do vegetarian. Sam suggests that Dean try preparing something that he knows Amelia likes, seitan.  Sam even tells him about the co-op so that he can find this so-called seitan. Even though Dean doesn't do the hippie co-op thing, he does care an awful lot about family. So he makes the sacrifice and goes there. While there he meets Cas. Seitan, brisket, and flirting ensue.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"You've got to be kidding me, Sam." Dean looked down at the list in front of him. "It is Thanksgiving. You gotta have turkey or at least ham." He looked up at Sam, pure exasperation on display in every facet of his features.

"Amelia is a vegetarian." Sam explained for what seemed like the umpteenth time. "You might be too if you worked with animals all day. She spends all day fixing them. Probably feels weird to carve into one on a holiday plate."

"Well, you said that this is a new thing, so maybe she can go along with the turkey for just one more holiday, give me a year to figure out how to cook…" Dean ran his finger under an unfamiliar word on Sam's list and tried to sound it out. "Cee Tan?" He ended on a note that sounded like a question.

"Satan." Sam enunciated the word seitan for Dean. "It's a wheat gluten based protein. I figured you could roast it or something. There's a bunch of recipes online for it, and it tastes a lot like meat." Dean was looking at him with doubt plainly written on his face. Sam added, "Work your magic. I'm sure seitan will be no match for you."

"Hmm, not feeling it Sammy. Kinda seems wrong having seitan at the family supper. It's just not tradition, plus seitan. I feel dirty just saying it." Dean started rummaging around and plucked up his keys and jacket. "Where do I even buy this stuff?"

Sam perked up, seeming to realize that he had just won. "Oh, you can totally get it over at the natural foods co-op. It's over on Sixth." He smiled, likely hoping that the destination wouldn't give Dean yet another reason to fight this.

Dean groaned. "Seriously, the co-op?" He groaned again. "What has possessed you? You use to be cool. Now you are sending me to some hippie store for you and your hippie girlfriend."

"Love you too, Dean." Sam laughed a little as Dean started moving out of the kitchen.

"Seeing as it is Thanksgiving, you all better appreciate me. I take thanks in pie-shaped payments. There will be many pies."

Dean was nearly out the door when Sam called after him, "You get one pie, maybe two. This is barely a challenge for you." The door closed between them and Dean was so gone.

* * *

"Where the hell would one even find this shit?" He half muttered to himself as he scoured the shelves near the bread. It made sense in his head, since Sam had said that it was a wheat based product. He had been muttering out curses and damnation upon all things vegetarian for the past five minutes. "Fucking hippie bread, with hippie seeds. Where the hell are you seitan? Damn seitan." Having moved up and down the aisle a whole two more times without finding what he was looking for, Dean huffed out, "Damnit, why'd I sign up for this?"

"Can I help you find something?" A pleasant, low voice interrupted his stormy mutterings.

Dean looked up at the voice, ready to issue a quick retort, something like,  _No, just looking for goddamn seitan._ His words choked him though. Standing before him was a man that was not quite human. At least Dean didn't think that he was.  _How could he be? That is some kind of gorgeous._  The man stood just a few feet away, thick mop of deep brown hair framing a face that was half innocent, half mischievous all at once. The eyes were the final straw though, blue in a way that was a crisp summer sky on a hot August day. Dean felt himself getting sucked into what could only be viewed as open mouthed staring before he finally said, "Uh, I don't know. I think that I might be beyond help at this point."

"What are you looking for?" The man took another step closer to Dean and tipped his head to the side in a gesture that signified contemplation.

"Seitan." Dean felt weird even saying it.

"Well, that explains your many uses of the word damn and hell. I should have come over to help you sooner." He laughed at Dean and moved past him with a wave of his hand. "Follow me."

And Dean did follow him. He followed him in a kind of hangdog way. His eyes trailed along the view in front of him with each step. He was following muscles and a trim build. He was following shoulders broad and used to some heavy lifting. He was following at just barely a step behind when the man came to an abrupt stop. Dean ran into him a little. "Oh, sorry." Dean stepped back quickly into his own space.

The man turned to Dean with a smile. "No worries." He turned back to the refrigerator case and pointed at the many items showcased there. "So, here is the seitan." He lifted up a package and handed it to Dean. "If you don't like that though, there is also tempeh, here." He pointed to another package. "Or over on the end is good old-fashioned tofu. We have a few flavors too. Some of them are smoked or packaged with sauces. All of them are pretty good." Dean watched his movements. There was an ease, a grace to the way his hands moved as he pointed out the various items.

Dean realized that a question had been asked, but he didn't hear it. He was too mesmerized by non-verbal things. "Uh, sorry, what'd ya ask?"

"I was just asking what you planned to make with the seitan?" The man had his thumbs tucked into his work apron. He leaned back a little into the edge of the refrigerator case, balancing there in the cool.

"I have no clue. My brother has a vegetarian girlfriend and I am cooking the Thanksgiving feast. He suggested the seitan. I'm supposed to" and Dean threw up some air quotes, "work my magic."

"Ah, well, at least you have a few days to practice first. It isn't the kind of thing that appeals to everybody, but it will take on the flavors of whatever you add to it. It's a little like tofu in that way."

"Haven't had that either. More of a burger and fry kind of guy. This is way outside of my wheelhouse." Dean flipped the package of seitan over in his hands and read the back. There was a little story about the origins of said seitan, and Dean huffed out a laugh as he made his way through it. "Seriously, this is not real. People buy this as a joke, right?"

"Nope. Totally legit product." The man laughed a little. Then he tapped his name tag. "Name's Cas. If you need anything, just give me a holler." He pushed off from the case that he had been leaning on and strode past Dean back to the front of the store. Dean weighed his options. He reached down and plucked up the tempeh. He flipped it over and read the back. It had a stupid little origin story too. He looked back at the other package and muttered, "Better the devil you know, or met first, or something." He put the tempeh back and headed for the front of the store.

Cas was the only one manning the checkout. There was an elderly woman with a handful of canvas bags and a crapton of everything laid out on the counter. There wasn't a conveyor belt to move it along. Cas looked up at Dean while he was ringing up the purchases, giving him a sympathetic eyebrow raise. It was a look that said,  _sorry, and wow you sure are unlucky._  Dean just smiled back though, and occupied himself with a random magazine from the rack. Time passed slowly, and the magazine was dull. He put it back as the lady began bagging her groceries. She moved slowly, but Cas was helping her. "You always work alone here?" Dean asked.

"Only on the weeknights. It keeps me from having to work the weekends." Cas answered as he scooped up some of the lady's produce and plopped it into a bag.

"Be careful. You'll bruise my peaches." She looked at him with a stern gaze.

"Sorry ma'am. I'll be more careful." He caught Dean's eyes though and they shared a bit of non-verbal communication.

"Does it ever get busy here?" Dean was not sure why he was trying to chat Cas up, but he chalked it up to boredom, or maybe just a little attraction, or maybe just a lot.

"This is about as busy as it gets."

"Bet it gets kinda boring then." Dean put his package of seitan on the counter now that there was space for it.

"I don't mind. Gives me time to catch up on my reading." He nodded over to the large textbook next to the register. Dean tipped his head to read the spine.  _Religions, and Cultural Identity._

"Can't say I've read that one." Cas finally finished the bagging and offered to help the lady to her car. Thankfully, she declined. Now he turned his full attention to Dean.

"So, you have any thoughts on how you will cook this?" Cas raised the package up and scanned it. One tiny beep and then the package was set aside.

"Not a blessed clue. I might slice it and roast it." Dean watched Cas' face for approval and got none.

"It'll be dry. It'll be like eating a dune that has been sunshine soaked all summer. You don't want to do that unless you have a sauce or something. You have a sauce?"

"Nope. I'm a decent cook though. I'm sure I can figure something out." Dean was trying to sound confident. "Not sure I'll know if I have figured it out though. I honestly don't know what good seitan actually tastes like. Is there such a thing?" Dean chuckled a little and reached back to pull out his wallet.

"I've had good seitan. It's not my go to meat substitute, but yeah. There is a little place downtown that does BBQ. They actually have seitan on their menu for the vegetarians that get dragged their by their carnivore friends. It's quite good."

"Only BBQ place I know is Ash's place." Dean set a ten on the counter and Cas picked it up and made change.

"That's the place. So, you've been there?" Cas passed him the change and their fingers brushed a little with the exchange.

"Ash and I are old friends. Didn't know he went to the hippie dark side." Dean made his joke then realized where he was. "Oh, sorry, no offence."

"None taken. I go there for the brisket, not the seitan, but gotta say, it was damn good." Cas lifted the seitan up onto the counter and added, "If you want to see how it should taste, I'd try out Ash's version. Come to think of it, I might just head out there tonight. Talking about it has given me a hankering for it."

"A hankering? Do people really use that word?" Dean laughed again.

"When speaking of BBQ one must bring out the language of the BBQ people." Cas stared at Dean with his head tilted again, like he had before. Dean wondered what he was thinking but didn't ask; he just stared back.

"Well, guess I'll be getting out of your hair. See ya around." He stepped away from the counter and as he was leaving, nearly knocked over a rack of free rental magazines. He caught it, though, before it went flying.  _Smooth, Dean._  He chided himself.  _Smooth._

* * *

He drove back to the house with a grin on his face. That is, he was smiling until he thought about it too much. He thought about how he sounded, how he basically made fun of vegetarians, and then he thought of nearly knocking over the magazine stand on his way out. He was not smiling when he got home. He shut off the car and went directly inside and to the kitchen. The house was empty. There was a note from Sam on the counter saying something about going to Amelia's for the evening, and not to wait up.

Dean tossed the note back onto the counter and then put the seitan into the fridge. He fired up the laptop on the dining room table and looked up some recipes. None of them sounded appealing to him. He was pretty sure that he was just biased. The fake chicken wings recipe wasn't so bad sounding. He thought that if he just substituted chicken for the seitan, it might be perfect. A few hours into his research and his stomach gave up a mighty growl. Dean gave his gut a little punch, closed up the laptop, and wandered over to the fridge. He peered down into it and considered his meal options. The seitan sat there, mocking him. He closed the door with a decisive flick of the wrist.

 _BBQ_. He thought about Ash's place and a big ole pile of brisket. Ash learned his craft in Texas. He knew just how to draw out the flavor. He smoked everything and made his own sauces. Dean decided then and there to head on into town for dinner. And if co-op dude happened to be there, well that wouldn't be bad either.

* * *

The Impala rolled through the twilight glow on Main St. Ash's place had a neon sign burning bright, proclaiming that it was BBQ Time. Dean found a spot right up front. He shut the car off and trudged inside. He had considered getting the seitan, but he was hungry. He didn't think that he wanted to feed that hunger something so unsatisfying. He saw Ash behind the counter chatting with someone. Dean gave him a little wave.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in. Dean, you were getting to be a virtual stranger." Ash came around to the other side of the counter and gave Dean a hug.

"It hasn't been that long." Dean shrugged.

"I've seen Sam more recently than you. Ya know he is trying to be a vegetarian?" Ash wrinkled his nose a little.

"Nah, his girlfriend is. Sam still digs the flesh of dead animals." Dean laughed.

"Nope, buddy. You're in denial. He totally was the one that got me to add some of the vegetarian items on the menu." Ash motioned Dean over to the counter. "Sit. Let me get you a beer and some brisket."

Dean took the seat and it was then that he noticed the familiar face of the man sitting at the counter a couple of stools away. "Oh, hey there." Dean faltered a little.

"Hey yourself." Cas swiveled around a little. "Gonna try the seitan?" Cas had a little smirk curling up the edge of his lip like he understood something of the situation that was soaring right over Dean's head.

"Nah, Ash is already getting me some brisket. I wouldn't want to trouble him." Dean didn't add that the idea of eating seitan seemed wholly unappealing right now.

Cas called out to the back, though, "Hey Ash, Dean here wants to try the seitan. You already dishing up his brisket?"

Ash's head popped up over the order window to the kitchen. "Really?" He looked to Dean.

"Uh, yeah, I guess. I'm supposed to prepare it for Sam and Amelia for Thanksgiving. Cas here suggested that I try yours out so that I would know how to make it right." Dean could feel his mouth drying up with the thought that he wasn't going to be getting his brisket.

"Oh, you two know each other. Cool. Yeah, Cas here has said that it is pretty damn good." Ash dropped back out of view and the clang of utensils could be heard.

"So, I hope you're happy. I was really looking forward to the brisket." Dean gave Cas a sidelong glance.

Ash strolled out with a plate and slipped it onto the counter in front of Cas. Dean stared at it with an open mouth. "Looks great, Ash. Thanks."

"Seriously?" Dean glanced from one to the other. "Seriously?" Cas scooped out a forkful of meat and popped it into his mouth, smiling around the bite.

"Damn good, Ash." He muttered around the mouthful.

"I thought that you were getting the seitan too. Now I gotta eat seitan and smell your awesome food. This is torture." Dean looked at Ash and said, "At least give me that beer you promised.

Ash pulled a beer out of the fridge and popped the cap. He slid it over to Dean and strolled back into his kitchen again. Cas just kept munching away. Every now and then he would make little moans of contentment around a bite.

Dean drummed on the counter with his fingertips. "You enjoying that?"

"So much." Cas answered with a wave of his fork, meat speared and ready for eating. He popped the meat into his mouth and Dean watched the move. He thought about the way his mouth curled around the fork, a hint of tongue and teeth visible for just a moment. Dean knew he was staring. He didn't break the gaze. Cas seemed to be enjoying the bit of torment that he was inflicting. "You certainly do stare a lot." Cas turned to Dean a little. "See something you like?"

Dean wasn't sure how to answer.  _Yes. So much._ "So much brisket." He kicked himself a little.  _Blown opportunity._  Ash came out then and slid a plate over to Dean.

"So, tell me what you think." Ash leaned back a bit and watched Dean poke at the seitan.

He finally decided to slice into a piece and run it through some of the BBQ sauce that was pooled up on the plate. He slowly moved a piece from the plate to his lips. He glanced over at Cas, thinking that maybe this would be the last thing he would see, and it would be nice to have a gorgeous vision before death via seitan. He ate the seitan, and it was okay. "Hmm, not bad."

"Yeah, I know it's not the meat, but kinda good huh?" Ash nodded down at the dish and then walked back off to the kitchen again.

"So, you like it?" Cas asked when Ash was out of the room.

"It's fine." Dean ate another bite. "Better than I thought that it would be. It's likely the BBQ sauce. That stuff could be used as currency." Dean munched on another bite.

"Tried to tell you it was good." Cas speared a chunk of brisket and brought it over to Dean's plate. He set it on the edge. "Here."

"Oh, you don't have to do that." Dean tried to look like he meant it, but he was actually doing a poor job of conveying that emotion. He really wanted it.

"Take it, Dean." Cas smiled and finished off the last couple of bites of his own food. Dean made short work of his own meal and what Cas had given him. Cas swiveled back and forth in the seat, smiling down at his drink and over at Dean.

"You certainly do stare a lot." Dean rolled his lip up into a smirk. "See something you like."

Cas laughed at that, a melodious deep laugh. He slid his empty plate over to the space next to Dean's. He moved over to the seat next to Dean. His leg brushed up against his and Dean could feel the heat of Cas just radiating toward him. He was doing his best to curb his enthusiasm. He had been bold, but that was the sort of thing that he might normally do in a moment only to end with a joke or some light-hearted banter. This was different. The little silence, the closing of the distance, the uncertainty. He wasn't even sure if it had been flirting. Well, he knew that his efforts had been flirtatious, but Cas, now that was a different story. He was close, though, very close.  _Seems like a signal._

He waited for Cas to speak again, because he didn't want to ruin the moment. Cas didn't say anything, just kept on sitting there, moving a little back and forth in the swiveling seat, making their bodies brush with each move. Dean finally set his fork down. He realized that he was gripping it like a weapon. It was nerves. It made him look viscous though. "So, uh, yeah."  _Smooth._  He beat himself up again.

"So, was that an answer to my question from earlier?" Cas swiveled a little more toward him, and his leg rested against Dean's.

Dean had to think about what he said. He was actually trying to jumpstart a conversation, but failed a little. It hadn't really been a response to anything Cas had said, but then he thought about the question that he had jokingly thrown back at Cas,  _See something you like?_  He felt heat spreading over his face. He didn't want to shut this down though. "Maybe." Dean gulped down a swallow of beer to give his mouth some sort of occupation. He let his eyes fall on Cas, brow raised in a type of question.

Cas reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. He tossed down a few bucks and then leaned over the counter looking down at the little lower shelf on the other side. He found a pen and picked it up. There was a little box of napkins in front of Dean. Cas reached over and pulled one out. He wrote his name on it and, under that, a phone number. "It would probably be more reasonable if I just texted you or typed my number into your cell phone contacts, but I left my phone in my car, and I don't want to presume too much. This way, if you change your mind, you can just leave this behind or toss it, no useless info. cluttering up your phone." Cas set the pen down and slid the napkin over to Dean.

Dean was frozen for a second. Cas just smiled and got up. He eased out of the seat, gave Dean a little wave, called out a goodbye to Ash, and then he was walking out the door. Dean was still frozen.  _Snap out of it Winchester._  His brain was practically screaming at him. He reached into his pocket and added the information. He realized then that he did not know Cas' last name. He put in what he had and then sent out a quick message.  _I don't know your last name._

A few seconds passed and the reply came through.  _Novak._  A few seconds later a second message showed up.  _Is the last name important?_

 _I like to know the last name and the first name of the guy I plan to ask over for dinner._ Dean felt a little warm nugget of pride with the effort that he had just made. There was no denying that this was flirting.

Cas responded.  _Well, that was fast. I thought that you would let me live in a world of wonder for 24 hours. Was that even a full minute?_

Dean laughed and answered,  _Well, I guess that I could always take it back if you want. And, just so you know, it was a full three minutes. I had to process the fact that you actually just gave me your number._

_No take backs. When are you having me over?_

_Tomorrow. Unless that's too soon._

There was a pause of a few seconds during which time Dean gave his phone a piercing glare. Then Cas' message came through,  _Tomorrow would be great. What're we having?_

_Seitan. Gotta have somebody act as my guinea pig. ;) I'll text you the details tomorrow._

_Wicked. See you tomorrow then._

Dean felt damn good. He gave Ash a wave. He tossed down a few bucks for the bill, and headed out the door on a whistle, his head full of plans. He maybe hated seitan just a little less now. The night was full of stars as he walked to his car. His head was full of thoughts that were blue-eyed and brown tousled hair. Ash turned off the neon sign in his wake, but the world ahead seemed bright and filled with promise even in the night.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, the one-shot became a two chapter fic. Here's their first date, and Dean cooking seitan.

The kitchen was a mess, and it was not making Dean comfortable. Normally, his kitchen space would be organized. Normally, he was a clean as you go chef. Tonight, though, he was not having a great deal of success with this. He was worried that the food would be bad, and Cas might not want to experience a repeat date. He was worried that he might act like an idiot in his nervousness, and Cas might not want to experience a repeat date. He worried that he might say something stupid. That happened sometimes. Mostly, though, he worried that this would be a one-shot thing, and he desperately wanted to have more success than that.

Sam strolled into the kitchen and leaned against the counter. He watched Dean work on cutting up some vegetables that he was planning to roast. Dean was all too conscious of him and really wanted him to head off to Amelia"s. "So, you think that this will be good for Thanksgiving?" Sam was all smiles as his eyes roamed over the mess.

"Yes, Sam. Now don't you have somewhere to be? I don't need you hovering." Dean was brusque, but his tone carried a hint of affection.

"I was thinking that I might stick around tonight. Ya know, offer my services as a taste tester. Wouldn't want you to make all of this food and then have it go to waste." Sam wandered over to the fridge and popped it open, likely looking for a beer.

"Nope, you go to Amelia's like you said you would. I don't want you watching me, and I certainly don't want you trying this meal before the big day." Dean turned his attention to the sauce that was bubbling away on the stove.  _Two hours left before he shows up. Two hours to get rid of Sammy here._

He hadn't told Sam that he had a date, didn't want to make a big deal about it. It was already hard enough for him to deal without having a chick chat with his baby brother. So, he kept it to himself. But now Sam was staring at him through a squint. "You have someone coming over don't you?"

Dean didn't answer right away and instead turned back to the vegetables. He decided to start mashing the potatoes, as that would give him an outlet for his frustration at being so easily found out.  _Shit, now I'll never get rid of him._ "When are you heading out?"

"So you do have someone coming over. I knew it. You were acting way too giddy." Sam popped the cap off of his beer and took a pull from it as he waited for Dean to respond.

Dean vigorously mashed the potatoes. "Isn't Amelia waiting for you?"

"You know, maybe I should just make myself comfortable. Maybe Amelia should just come here tonight. We could try your food and meet your date." Sam leaned back into the counter with a smirk. Dean avoided eye contact. "So, tell me about her. How did you meet and such?"

Dean kept mashing for a bit, but he stopped just long enough to say, "Him."

Sam said, "So, tell me about him. How did you meet?"

Dean looked at Sam for a moment with mild irritation, then back to the potatoes before answering. "I don't want to talk about it. Could you just head out? You're making me nervous."

"Nope. Not until you give me some deets."

"Go."

"No."

Dean decided to ignore him. He pulled out a roasting pan and spread the vegetables on it. He poured an unhealthy amount of butter over the whole thing; arteries be damned. He looked up at his brother who was still watching him. "Really, Sammy, I need you to head out."

"I'm literally going to stay and meet him if you don't start sharing." To make his point Sam pulled out one of the dining room chairs and angled it toward Dean. He sat and stretched his long legs out in front of him. He took another long, leisurely pull from the bottle of beer in his hand.

Dean put the vegetables in the oven and turned back to the counter. He ran a hand up into his hair and then realized what he had done. He turned to the sink and washed. Then he made his way back to the potatoes and the therapeutic mashing. "I met him at the co-op when I was buying you and Amelia the damned seitan."

"Cool. So, Amelia and I have inadvertantly been your matchmakers huh?" Sam was grinning away.

"Nope. You have nothing to do with this. I was lucky that he even gave me the time of day. I was so irritable about the damn seitan and all." Dean stopped mashing the potatoes which were looking well and truly mashed already. "So, be gone. I need to get done and you need to not be here." Dean made a dismissive wave of his hand.

Sam got up and leaned back on the counter again. "So, I should make sure to come home early so that I can give my approval right?" Sam was practically laughing now.

"No. When are you coming home?" Dean hoped the answer would be tomorrow. He didn't want to watch the clock.

"I don't know. Maybe nine, nine thirty. What time is your date showing up?"

"I think that you should just stay over at Amelia's."

Sam pulled out his phone and looked at the time. "So, it's 5:30 now, which leads me to believe that he might be getting here at 6 or so." Sam paused, looked at Dean for a read, and then added, "Nope, it's going to be 7 isn't it?"

"He has to work tonight, so we figured 7 would work." Dean started wiping down the counter.

Sam started texting. Dean watched him, mentally counting down the minutes that Sam was stealing from him with his presence. He worried that he would not have enough down time to get his nerves in check. He also wanted to change. "Amelia said that I could crash at her place. Looks like you have successfully gotten rid of me for the night." Sam's lip curled up in a slight leer.

"Stop that. It's just dinner."

"Stop what?" Sam donned a look of mock innocence now.

Dean threw a dish rag at him. "You know. Now tell Amelia that I said hi, and that I expect pie. I think that you promised three flavors."

"Two, maybe one." Sam gave Dean a little pat on the shoulder and smiling walked out the door.

Dean let out a long sigh and focused on the rest of the meal.  _An hour and a half now. I got this._  Part of his mind was occupied with thoughts of Cas, his devil-may-care grin, his hair that Dean kind of wanted to pull a little, his arms too. He didn't normally notice that part of the body much, but Cas had a broad set of shoulders with strong, muscular arms.

Dean could imagine thoroughly justifiable reasons to casually squeeze Cas' shoulder while passing, or to maybe brush something off of him. He might even need to put his hand there to just direct him through a door or two while giving him the tour of the house. Regardless of the circumstance, he was sure that he would be able to justify touching Cas' shoulders frequently and often. He felt the nervousness again, but also, as Sam put it, giddy.

* * *

He stood in front of the mirror in a burgundy button down with long sleeves and a pair of slacks. He scowled at himself.  _Too formal._ Dean looked over at the clock on his nightstand. It was getting close to go time.

He quickly unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it aside. He pulled open a drawer and made a snap decision, black tee shirt and dark blue jeans. He pulled them on and glared at his reflection in the mirror. There was a swift series of knocks that echoed throughout the house.  _Shit. He's early._  He looked at the mirror one last time, accepted his appearance, and headed for the door.

He swiped his hand through his hair, smoothing it down. He did a quick breathe check, knowing that he couldn't fix it if he found it to be bad. He opened the door, and there was Cas. He looked like he had come over directly from work in his slacks and white button up. He even had on the little blue sweater vest and name tag. "Hey, Dean."

"Hey, Cas. You're early." Dean smiled and let his eyes travel over him. Cas seemed to be doing the same.

"I hate being late for things." He started ringing his hands a bit in front of him. Dean stepped aside to let him in with a nod.

"Wasn't complaining. You came right from work, I see." Dean couldn't help himself; he reached out and let his fingers brush the dorky little blue vest as he spoke.

Cas followed the movement then looked down at his attire. "Yeah, I really wanted to go home and change, but then everything kept taking longer than it should have. I thought about just running home anyway and making my excuses later, but, like I said, I hate being late. So, yeah, now you are officially on a date with a guy that dresses like a retiree." He paused and humphed out a little frustrated grunt, adding, "sweater vests."

Dean laughed. "It's not so bad. Maybe we should lose the vest though. Wouldn't want you feeling like you were still on the clock." Dean reached out again, and, this time, began slowly unbuttoning the three little buttons that occupied space over Cas' stomach.

Cas watched him, making no effort to help with the undressing. When Dean finished with the buttons, he ran his hands up to the collar and slipped the vest off of Cas' shoulders. Cas raised his eyes to Dean's, his lips rolling up into a smirk. "Didn't think you'd be undressing me before dinner."

Dean raised an eyebrow.  _Keep it cool, Winchester._  He turned and put the vest on a coat rack that stood next to the door. He turned back and said, "The meal might be horrible. Gotta offer up some distraction from what you are walking into." Cas had his white button up fastened all the way to his throat. Dean reached out to the topmost buttons. "Let's undo a couple of these too." Cas let him, and Dean was rather glad.

"Are you always this confident?"

"Are you?"

"Dean, I am anything but confident. You just kind of do exactly what you want when you want. At least, that is the impression that I am getting."

"Says the guy that made me nearly knock over a magazine rack and gave me his number on a napkin. You ooze confidence. I ooze clumsy buffoon and maybe bad chef. Now come take part in my little experiment." Dean found a reason to run his hand around to Cas' back as they walked to the kitchen.

"It's nice to shed at least part of the work day. I'm really looking forward to your version of seitan." Cas smiled and Dean felt the warmth of the look radiating through him.

"I just hope that it is okay. I had to shed a little of my day earlier too." Cas cocked his head to the side. "My brother. He wanted to hover and meet you. Said he thought it might be nice to bring his girlfriend by to meet you. I said no, and practically had to force him out."

"You don't want me to meet your brother?" Cas looked perplexed.

Dean stammered, "Oh, no. Wow, that came out so wrong. My brother is, well, he's a younger brother, and you know how they can be, right. He would have run his mouth, made comments, shared all of my fifth date secrets, before you even got a chance to know me. I think that if this evening is going to go well, that I had to shed my brother."

Cas moved in closer to Dean. "So, tell me more about your fifth date secrets."

Dean liked the closeness. His heart was hammering out in his chest. Cas' hand was moving up his arm slowly. "I, um, like old metal bands of the 1980s. I also spend a fair amount of time watching soap operas, particularly the Spanish language ones. Don't tell. I'll never get another date if the rest of the world finds out."

Cas' laughed in a tiny, deep burst. "I need to pen the announcement immediately." Cas' hand was now resting on Dean's bicep, and Dean found himself leaning in a little. They stood like that for a moment longer, and it should have been awkward, but Dean could only focus on the nearness of Cas the the way that he looked up at him through dark lashes.

"So, uh, I should plate the food for us." Dean finally broke the silence. Cas' fingers played with the edge of Dean's shirt sleeve.

"Okay." Cas stepped back a little, and Dean started pulling food out of the oven. He retrieved a couple of plates. Cas stood off to the side of the counter. "Can I help with anything?"

Dean glanced around and spotted the unopened bottle of wine on the counter. He had meant to open it earlier, but had forgotten. "You can open the wine. We might need to let it breathe for a bit."

Cas lifted up the bottle and inspected it. "Haven't had anything from this vineyard. I'm more of a beer drinker usually." Cas set the wine bottle down. "Where ya keep your openers?"

"Would you rather have beer? Honestly, I'm not a wine drinker either. I just thought that you might be." Dean was plating and turned to Cas to gauge his answer.

"Seriously, beer would be great. Plus, it pairs nicely with seitan." They both laughed at that, and Dean pointed to the fridge with a large spoon in hand.

"You'll find several varietals of our finest beers on the low shelf. Take some time and smell the bouquets."

"Dork." Cas laughed though and reached into the fridge for the beer. "Which kind do you want?"

"One of the I.P.A.s" Dean pointed again with his spoon which was now covered in BBQ sauce.

Cas walked back over to the counter with his beer and Dean's clutched in his hands. He twisted off the caps and slid Dean's over to him. "Sauce looks good. Actually, everything looks good." He looked from the food to Dean.

Dean looked at the meal that he had prepared and hoped that it was at least decent. He looked back at Cas and said, "It does look good, doesn't it?" They each scooped up a plate and carried it to the table. Dean worried that he would get nervous and start eating like an uncultured goat. It was a problem. Whenever he had to meet new people or do the extended family dinners with the Campbell side of the family, which he didn't know as well, he tended to compensate for his nerves with dramatic eating. This would include big mouthfulls of whatever was in front of him, sloppy drinking, and occasionally talking with his mouth full. To make this worse, he was aware of it while it happened, but he could do nothing to stop it.

They ate silently at first. Dean had already shoveled in a large forkful of the seitan.  _Not bad._  He hadn't finished the first bite before a second and then a third found their way in too. With the third bite he glanced up and noticed that Cas was watching him.  _Shit._  His cheeks were puffed out with enough food to get him through the winter. Cas smiled a bit and kept chewing his perfectly reasonable bite of food. He swallowed and Dean just kept chewing. "It's good."

Dean responded, mouth still chewing. "Yeah, ritygood." The words were an almost mumble. He was about to speak again, even had his mouth open when Cas reached across the table, cupped his chin with his palm, and pushed his mouth closed.

"Finish that first, or I might not understand you." Cas' voice a light, inviting grumble of sound.

Dean felt heat seep up into his cheeks. He considered swallowing down the food immediately, but more chewing was necessary.  _Goat mouth it is then_. He chewed away and Cas just watched him. He had let go of Dean's chin, but Dean still felt the warmth that had been there moments before. He finally got the food down, and said, "I don't even remember what I was going to say now. I'm a little nervous."

"Why?" Cas picked up his beer and took a pull from the bottle.

Dean did the same, only some of it spilled past his lips and onto his shirt. He set it down. "'Fraid I'll say something stupid or look like an idiot. Kinda don't have much of a good dating track record."  _Shit, why'd I tell him that?_

Cas tracked Dean's movements as he tried to dab away at the spilled beer on his shirt. Cas spoke low and soothingly, "If it helps, I worry about the same things. I nearly turned around several times on my way over here. I don't date. Giving you my number was literally the most daring thing I have done in the last millennia."

"You're older than I thought, then." They laughed a little.

"Okay, not so old, but you get the point. I work. That's pretty much it. I've been kinda a tool. I sell the products, bag them up and crash at the end of the night. I watch people come and go. I listen to their little dramas, played out as they walk the aisles of the store. I make up the rest of their stories just to entertain myself. It's not a bad life. It's just that I think that there should be more. I was reading my little textbook on religion and culture."

Dean interrupted him then. "There was nothing little about that textbook."

Cas laughed a little. "Yeah. It does cover a lot of ground. I'm reading it for one of my graduate classes."

"Oh, so should I start referring to you as professor Novak?" Dean chanced a bite of his food, keeping it small this time.

"Not yet. I got another year before that reality." Cas took another sip of his beer. "So, like I was saying, I was reading my little textbook, and there was a section on fate and freewill. It got me thinking about how I just kept plodding away in my life. It was like I was on a track and I couldn't get off of it. Then I heard you cursing in the aisles. I wandered back to help, and wow, you make an impression." Cas stopped talking then. He speared a chunk of seitan and swirled it around in some BBQ sauce.

"Really?" Dean didn't realize that Cas had felt anything so early on.

"Really." Cas popped the forkful of food into his mouth then and lazily chewed away at it. He swallowed and continued, "I wanted to try an exercise in free will. I jumped the tracks a little and subtly brought up Ash's place. I hoped that you would just show up there."

"You know, one could call this fate." Dean mused aloud.

"Maybe, but I think that my actions and yours were not set in stone ahead of us. I think that we made choices, good choices." They became quiet for a few minutes and ate their food, occasionally glancing up at one another over a bite. "Full disclosure, I'm really bad at dating."

"You seem to be doing fine." Dean reached across and rested his hand on Cas' arm. "Really, I'm the one that should be disclosing that."

"I overshare sometimes. Sometimes I say awkward things. I don't get pop-culture references, so most jokes just soar right over my head."

Dean laughed a little. "I totally undershare until something awkward happens, at which time I then ridiculously overshare. I can totally help with the pop-culture references as I am a walking dictionary of that shit."

"I haven't had much time for it since I've been doing grad school. People keep saying things like, 'have you seen the newest episode of  _The Last Man on Earth_?' and I'm like what the hell is that."

"Oh, that show rocks. You should totally watch that one."

"I barely have time for anything."

"Then I guess that I am pretty lucky that you agreed to this." Dean waved a fork over the table to signify the whole of the date.

"Your timing was exceptional." Cas smiled.

"You might almost say it was fate, huh?" Dean smiled back.

"Nope, my free will and yours are just totally in sync." Cas took the last bite of his food and then leaned back into his chair, stretching out long and lean into the back of it.

"Sounds like fate to me." Dean watched him and wanted to find excuses for nearness that the table wasn't allowing. "What would you like to do next, Mr. Free Will? We could watch a movie or something."

Dean got up then and took the plates to the sink. He started washing them when Cas came up to his side. "Let me help."

"Nope, you're the guest." Dean kept washing and Cas kept standing at his side.

"You gotta let me help, or I'll just stand here awkwardly." And he did. He kept pushing off of the counter just to fall back to it again. Finally, he started hip bumping Dean while he worked through the silverware.

"You're not as awkward as you think." Dean flashed a glance at him.

"No?" He hip bumped Dean again and this time tried to reach into the sink to help.

"Nope." Dean hip bumped him back. Cas had already gotten ahold of a plate though, and was holding the wet drippy thing in front of him.

"You have to let me help, or I'll now be standing here with a dirty, wet plate, dripping all over your floor." Cas started making his way closer to Dean's personal space.

Dean reached out for the plate and Cas didn't hand it to him. "Plate, Cas. When you have me over, then you can do the dishes." Cas didn't give in though. He just kept standing there. Dean said, "So, you are stubborn too, I see."

"Very. So, are you going to let me help?" Cas started to lower the plate into the sink to wash when Dean interrupted him.

The dish fell into the sink, the remaining two inches, with a clatter. Dean had pressed his body into Cas, holding him against the counter. He lowered his lips to Cas' and kissed him. Cas' hands moved swiftly to Dean's sides. Dean's hands left a wet trail up Cas' arms. The press of him, the reciprocity of the moves, left Dean's mind in a fog. He pushed toward him more, but there was nowhere to push to. Cas pushed back and Dean found himself against the wall. Cas was not letting up and neither was Dean. When Dean finally realized this he reached back past Cas and slammed down the faucet handle, ending the water flow into the sink. This caused Cas to break the kiss. He looked back at the sink and then at Dean. "What, we're in a drought?"

They laughed at that, and because they were very close, Dean dipped in and kissed him again. It was warm and a little spicy. "You taste like seitan." Cas muttered around a kiss.

"You too." Dean grinned, and remembering Cas' words from the other day, he dipped in again saying, "Wicked." He felt Cas' teeth smiling at him through the kiss, and he wondered how long they could keep this going for. He hoped that it would be a long time.


	3. Chapter 3

Dean stood in the kitchen in a kind of daze. It was Thanksgiving morning and everything was in motion. Bodies came and went, depositing platters and bowls of food for the main meal. The Campbells had already arrived with nieces and nephews in tow. The Winchester side was mostly all present too and bustling about. Sam and Amelia were there first, since Amelia had stayed over the night before. Dean wondered how long it would be before they decided to make the arrangement more permanent and if that would mean that he would need to venture out to a new place on his own. He shook his head to dislodge the thought.

His mother had been occupied at the table with the potatoes. She was peeling away the skins and humming to herself. Dean's father had come in with the first batch of foods, setting them on the counter with a sigh. John took a deep breath and looked at Dean, saying, "How your brother and his girlfriend can smell that turkey baking and not want to partake is just beyond me." John smiled and Dean smiled back.

"I keep saying the same thing. Love's a strange thing. Fucks you up ten ways from Sunday." John laughed and Mary looked over the bowl of potatoes with a scowl.

"Language." Her eyes narrowed into a squint.

"Ah, sorry mom. I forgot that we gotta keep the Campbell censor going even when they aren't in the room." He moved around the counter to her side and laid a kiss on the top of her head.

"Goddamn right you do." She went back to peeling the potatoes. "If you don't then I won't, and, frankly, there is nothing more unpleasant than the Samuel Campbell stare down. So, like I said, language, Dean."

"Fucking Campbells," John said as he came over to Dean's side and clapped him on the shoulder.

They all laughed at that and Mary said, "What am I going to do with you both? Thank God Sam and Amelia have filters." She ignored them now and went back to peeling. Dean went back to the counter to sort through the items that John had just deposited. "So, Sam says that you are seeing someone." Dean's hands stopped in their path toward the packages of rolls.

"Did he now?" Dean wasn't facing them, and he had no intention of changing that.

His dad spoke now and it was a deep voice that kind of pierced through whatever quiet one might be coddling in the recesses of the mind. Dean felt the voice spinning him around to attention. "Yeah, Sam said that you met him a couple of days ago while buying that hippie food that you are going to try to pass off as Thanksgiving meat."

Dean looked at him now and said, "Well, Sam has a big mouth. Plus, I'm not going to try to pass anything off as meat. Seitan is okay, but it is certainly not meat."

Mary quirked an eyebrow up and said, "Did you just say that satan is okay? What the hell are we eating?"

"You, mom, are eating the finest turkey to ever turkey. Amelia and Sam are eating seitan, and it will be wicked good. I don't think that anyone else needs to subject themselves to Sam and Amelia's damnable dietary restrictions, though, at least not when a respectable turkey gave his life for the meal." Dean turned back to his foods and speared a little chunk of seitan and dipped it into some of his BBQ sauce. He held it over his hand and walked it back to his mom. "Here, try some seitan." They laughed, and she ate the piece.

"That's good. Thought that it would taste more like sin and decadence." She smiled and the little lines of joy that spread from her eyes made Dean feel warm and well loved.

John walked over to the counter and pinched a chunk of seitan, dipped it in the BBQ sauce, and tossed it into his mouth. "Your turkey is better, but this is a fine carrier for the BBQ sauce. You make the sauce?"

"Yeah."

"You got skills, son. Now, tell us about your new friend. Are we meeting him tonight?" John turned to the fridge and pulled out a beer. He walked over to the table and sat across from Mary.

"Cas won't be coming over tonight. I actually like him, and the thought of subjecting him to both the Campbells and the Winchesters seems wholly unappealing. Pretty sure I would never see him again if he had to deal with all of that as a second date."

"Oh, so this is really new." Mary chimed in.

"Yeah, we've had dinner together one time. We've been texting a bit, but no follow-up date yet."

"I don't know, Dean." John leaned back and took a long gulp of beer before continuing, "I think that the best way to get to know someone is to see how they deal with meeting the folks. I know that your mom here totally fell for me the moment that I had to meet her dad."

"Ha, I liked you way before then. Kept you from meeting him, because I thought that he might kill you." Mary handed John a potato. "Make yourself useful."

"Just saying that we should meet him and thoroughly grill him, see if he can handle us." John was grinning away at Mary, likely thinking that Dean couldn't see it.

"Wow, dad, now I thoroughly regret not inviting him over. Let me get on the phone right now to remedy this little oversight." Dean pulled out a cutting board and some vegetables. He had decided the night before that the artery clogging veggies from his night with Cas were worth a repeat. He learned his lesson with the potatoes and decided not to start mashing them too early. They had not been eaten the other night and instead had formed a goopy paste that just got swirled around on their plates.

"Well, Amelia did alright at Christmas when she met everyone." John was quick and efficient with the peeling. He had out a small knife and was rotating the wet potato around in his hand, making a long swirl of peel curl out in the knife's wake. It was John's military background that gave him his knife skills. Dean imagined that his dad was a little shit disturber that had been given K.P. duty on the regular. He passed on his skills to Dean along with stories of duty and such. Dean's mom gave him other kitchen skills. She had a knack for pulling together ingredients that had no business together and forming from them dishes of comfort and love. His mom made the best food. All the baking that she did when he was young could have easily made him plump and such, but his job took care of the extra eating. He wasn't looking forward to going back into the shop next week. Things tended to pile up when they were closed for holidays. Bobby would be there though, and that would make it tolerable. He could hear him already, deep growly laughter rolling down the halls at something that Sam was telling him. It brought a smile to his face.

He was snapped out of his thoughts by a question from his father, "So, what does this Cas fellow do?" The question should have been a simple one, but Dean knew that it would lead to more questions about Cas, and he wasn't quite ready to have this conversation yet. They meant well, but his parents tended to be a bit on the overprotective side. He understood since his past relationships had informed their present behaviors. The last relationship had been with a woman named Lisa. His parents liked her, but thought that their relationship was less than ideal. Before that was Aaron, and his parents did not like him one bit.

"He works for the Natural Foods Co-op, and he is a grad. student." Dean said it without pausing in his chopping. He scooped the first pile of chopped veggies into a bowl and set it off to the side. He chanced a glance at his dad and saw the look that he had feared would be there.

"Natural Foods Co-op, huh? Is that that hippie store?

"Well, it is where Sam sent me for the Goddamn seitan, so yeah." Dean made sure to throw Sam under the bus in his response. He knew why his dad was concerned. It was for the same reason that both he and Mary had disapproved of Aaron.

"So, is he another hippie, pothead like Aaron?" John didn't pull punches. If he wanted to know something, he just asked it point blank like that.

"John." Mary sounded like she wanted to shut him down.

"Now, Mary, I don't think that either of us wants to see Dean in another relationship like that. So, I don't see any problem in asking." He turned back to Dean and asked, "Well?"

"I don't think so. He is way more productive than Aaron. I mean he has a full-time job and he is in grad school, so he's not going to be mooching off of me or anything like that. No worries. Plus, did I happen to mention that we have literally been on like one date. Seriously, don't get all worried over this." Dean reminded himself to drag Sam over hot coals later for telling anyone anything about Cas. There was good reason for keeping his private life private.

Mary decided to change the subject, but only slightly, "So, what is he doing for Thanksgiving? Does he have family in town?"

"Don't know. Didn't ask." Dean knew where this was going and mentally kicked himself for not coming up with a ready lie. He was still bristling over the minor mentioning of Aaron. He glanced at his mom and saw her look pinch into a kind of sadness. To her, family and holidays were essential, like morning and night. He could see what she wanted him to say, but he was reluctant to say a thing.

She just kept looking at him though like her mother's heart was crying over the fact that someone was out there was maybe, possibly without a family. "Come on, Dean. You know I won't be happy until you check."

"God, mom, fine." Dean stomped out of the kitchen calling back, "Keep an eye on the food. I'll be back in two minutes." He walked down the hall past the living room that had Sam, Amelia, Bobby, Ellen and Jo. He gave them a quick nod and pressed the phone to his ear even before dialing to avoid conversation. He made his way to his room and closed the door behind him. He brought up Cas' information and hit the call button. Two rings, three rings, four rings, and Dean was going to hang up when Cas answered on the fifth.

"Hello." His voice a deep, sleepy growl over the line.

"Hey, Cas. My mom wanted me to ask you if you had family coming over for Thanksgiving. So, do you, uh, have family coming over.?" Dean felt awkward. Phone calls often made him feel this way.

"Well, no, I have a frozen dinner in the microwave and about ten more hours of studying that I plan to accomplish before Monday." There was a pause and he continued, "How's your meal prep. going? All your family there yet?"

"It's going. Got the third degree from mom and dad about my dating life. Still waiting on grandpa Henry to arrive. Most of the Campbells are here and have taken up residence on the front porch. They're the conservative ones. Other than that, things here are hunky dory." Dean huffed out a sigh and tossed himself back on the bed.

"You sound tired."

"You too."

"Yeah, the store was busy yesterday with the pre-holiday vegans. I must have sold a hundred pounds of Tofurkey." Cas laughed a little and Dean felt a smile spread across his face at the sound of it.

"Tofurkey, huh. Is that an actual thing or are you just messing with me?"

"Totally legit product. It is not tasty though, so don't go buying it. Your seitan is way, way better."

"Ah, shucks. You like my cooking better than Tofurkey." Dean adopted a slightly mocking tone. He fell back into his normal voice though and added, "Well, since you like my cooking you should totally come over and partake in the feast again tonight."

"Hmm." Cas didn't respond beyond that and Dean worried that maybe Cas wasn't interested in a second date. The first had gone well though. Cas had stayed late. They had kissed each other pressed into every square inch of the kitchen, then the living room, then the entryway. Their activities would have progressed to the bedroom if Cas wouldn't have needed to work the next morning; at least that's what Dean told himself.

"I get it if you don't want to. I just thought that maybe you might not be getting a quality Thanksgiving meal and all. Plus, I kind of wouldn't mind seeing you and all." Dean felt like some sort of sap.

He was about to blow it off and say something that would make a joke out of the whole thing when Cas said, "I would have said yes immediately, but this isn't a typical date. I mean, your whole family will be there, right?"

"Uh, yeah. I imagine that the thought of meeting them might sound unappealing." Dean thought about the way that his family was and wondered if in fact, this wasn't the worst idea ever.

"I would love to meet your family, if you are comfortable with it. I just don't believe that you are. You literally kicked your brother out the other night so that I wouldn't meet him and now you want me to meet like all of your family at once. Seems like quite the turnaround."

Dean sucked in a deep breath and said, "Look, Cas. I should have let you meet Sam the other night, but frankly, I just didn't want to share my time with you with someone else. Tonight is different though. Tonight is turkey and stuffing, pie and whipped cream, potatoes and seitan. All of that, minus the seitan, is going to be awesome, but not nearly as awesome as sharing it with you. Now, come over. I'll do my best to keep my family from asking you too many questions, if you keep from looking like something that I have to kiss every five seconds. Okay?"

"So, I should wear my white shirt and blue sweater vest." Dean could hear the smirk on Cas' face even over the phone.

"If you want me to start undressing you as soon as you walk in. Don't you have something like that that is not work clothes?"

"I may have a couple of appropriate outfits that won't tempt you too greatly. I'll see what I can throw together. When should I show up?" Dean was grinning now at the prospect of laying eyes on him again. He was choosing not to think about the fact that the family could make everything awkward.

"Come over now, so I can put you to work." Dean was really just thinking that this would give them more time together.

"I can't get changed and over there in less than an hour. Is that okay?" Cas sounded like he was already stressing about being late.

"An hour would be fine. I was just kidding about putting you to work."

"Can I bring something?"

"No. Just show up."

"Seriously, Dean. I can't show up empty handed. I'll look like a total loser. Do you need wine? I got wine and beer for that matter."

"Bring the wine then. The Campbells drink about three or four bottles of the stuff. You'd think that Thanksgiving was communion for them." Dean got up then and looked into his mirror. He smoothed back his hair and considered changing clothes.

"I'll see you in an hour then. Bye, Dean."

"In an hour. Bye." They hung up and Dean tossed the phone aside. He changed into a nicer shirt, the red one from the night before that was too formal. Now to let the fam know. He scooped up his phone and stalked back out to tell them that there would be one more at the table.

* * *

Apparently he actually meant it when he said that he would try not to look tempting. Funny thing about that effort though, was the amount of failing that came with it. He was, in Dean's opinion, failing on all fronts. "God you look good." Dean greeted him, thankfully without an audience. Everyone else had been given tasks while Dean somewhat staked out the front door.

"Seriously?" Cas' voice pitched upwards in disbelief. Dean closed the door behind Cas and let his eyes swoop back over Cas' Christmas sweater and tight black jeans. It should have been all kinds of dorky, not to mention, it was still Thanksgiving and not Christmas, but Dean was starting to think that he had a thing for dorky. "You have strange tastes, Dean Winchester."

"You'd know."

"I have no clue what you mean by that." Cas smiled though and stepped into a kiss that seemed like it had potential until the sound of a cleared throat drew Dean back away from Cas. Dean turned and found Sam leaning into the doorframe, smiling like a jerk.

"Hey there, Dean. Gonna introduce us or are you just going to make out in the doorway all night?" Sam stepped up to them and raised a hand to shake.

Dean waved a hand at Sam saying, "This is my obnoxious baby brother Sam. Sam this is Cas."

"Pleasure to meet you Sam. I've heard a great deal about you." Cas shook Sam's hand and added, "I heard that you had wanted to meet me the other night, but that Dean did not think that it was best."

"Hey, don't tell him all of our secrets." Dean huffed out in mock irritation.

"Yeah, somehow Dean got it in his head that I would like pester you with questions and such. Seriously, I am way too chill for that. The rest of the family, now that's a different story." Sam practically laughed.

"Hey now, don't freak him out just yet. He isn't even in the doorway." Dean rested a hand on Cas' back and started directing him toward the kitchen and his parents. Dean leaned toward Sam as they walked and whispered, "I will so remember this later, bitch."

"Jerk." Sam smiled, clapped Dean on the shoulder, and slipped off to go find Amelia.

"You two seem close." Cas leaned into Dean's side a little. Dean moved his hand up Cas' back, spreading his fingers wide to cover more space. His mom and dad were gathering plates and glasses for the dining room table. Mary set her pile down and walked over to Dean and Cas the moment that she saw them.

"This must be Cas. I'm so glad that Dean convinced you to come over for dinner." She reached out her hands to his shoulders and pulled him into a welcoming hug. Cas seemed a little thrown by the affection from Mary. "Well, I guess you aren't much of a hugger, huh?" She let him go, though with a good natured laugh. "No, worries, we'll get you use to it soon enough."

John walked over next and threw out a hand. "I'm John. Nice to meet you." He was crisp in his tone. Cas shook his hand with seriousness and then quickly released him. "So, Dean says you work at the hippie store."

"Yes, sir. The hippies call it the co-op." Cas let his lip slip into a brief smile before he fell back into seriousness again.

"You can call me John. You'll likely call Samuel, sir when you meet him and we don't need to all be too confused." John smiled and shot a glance at Mary. "Samuel's Mary's dad. How that cranky old cuss had a daughter like her, I'll never know."

"Hey, that's my dad you're talking about." She wrapped an arm around him and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "You aren't wrong though. I am way less surly." She laughed and released him to pick up the plates and glasses again. "You boys want to help with the table? There's plenty to carry."

Cas immediately volunteered and the four of them made short work of setting the room in order. The dining room was bright in the late afternoon sunlight that spilled through the wall of windows. Dust motes floated between the bars of light and Dean wandered over to the window through the light. He leaned into the window frame and watched the rest of the family frolicking on the front lawn. Samuel was holding court in a wicker chair stationed on the edge of the wraparound porch. He looked back at Dean and gave him a little wave of acknowledgement.

Cas came up next to him and looked out. "So, this is the rest of your family?"

"Yeah, Campbells mostly. We're just waiting on Grandpa Henry to arrive then we can call everyone in for supper." Dean looked out at the little cousins that were running in wild abandon. Some sort of game like tag seemed to be the thing.

"They seem like a happy bunch." Cas watched the children darting around, his head moving a bit here and there like he was tracing the path of bees. He might as well have been doing just that with the way the kids were playing. Dean wondered how much grandpa candy Samuel had slipped to the children since he had arrived. It was the only sweet thing that man ever did. Normally, he just groused on about politics and wars long since forgotten. Dean slipped his arm around Cas' waist and pulled him in close.

They stood like that for a spell. Dean noticed his grandfather's eyes flick over to him and then back out to the kids. The sunlight on everything out there made the world shine in a magical way. The long black Buick that turned onto Dean's driveway caught the sunlight in sparks on it's chrome bumper and wheels. Dean turned and hollered back to his parents and anyone else within earshot, "Grandpa Henry's here."

"Oh, good. Let's get this eating on," Sam called back. Dean let Cas go and made his way out to the front door. He opened it to his grandfather climbing the steps with his caretaker in tow. He was living in an assisted living community due to his advanced age, but mostly due to his past heart attack.

"Hotter than a witch's tit," Henry said to Samuel as he reached the top of the stairs.

"Good to see you too, Henry. See you still talk like a proper man in front of the ladies." Samuel smirked and got up from his seat.

Henry swiped his head left and right and said, "Maybe my vision is failing me, Samuel, but I don't see any ladies here. Maybe you've gotten too old now to tell the difference though." Henry smiled and walked past him. Dean stepped in to try to keep them from going much farther. It was always like this with the two of them, a battle of wits to see who would cave first. Henry usually got the last word and a type of win, but Dean thought that maybe he was just a little biased in his observations.

"Come on in you all and let's get to eating." Dean waved out at the kids and their parents on the lawn as he raised his voice.

Samuel pressed past them all in a huff. "Maybe it's not me that has trouble telling the men from the women."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Henry looked at Dean then as Samuel moved out of sight.

"Oh, you know him, always with the judgements. He may have caught a glimpse of my too male date." Dean rolled up an eyebrow as he said it.

"Well, every family has at least one bigot. Looks like Samuel is our bigot." Henry smiled and pressed a hand to Dean's back. "I'll make sure to make him uncomfortable every chance I get." They walked in together like that and Dean felt a warmth spread through his back where his grandfather's hand rested. It was nice to have your family in your corner, even if some of them couldn't figure out how to be decent human beings.

Cas was hovering just off to the side. John had just set down the turkey at the head of the table. He waved Dean over with the carving knife. "Get over here, boy. You need to be carving this beast."

"Everybody, get seated. It's turkey time." Dean waved them all to seats and made his way to his dad. Usually, he would pass off this task to one of the more senior members of the family. The fact that his father was lobbing the task back to him felt kind of like an honor. Dean took the knife and started the carving. Everyone started dishing up and passing the food around the table. Mary had made sure that Cas was seated near her and the empty seat that would soon belong to Dean. The place was warm and bright. The room smelled of sage and butter. The bare hint of what Dean assumed was pumpkin pie cooking for later, mixed in with the other holiday scents. He closed his eyes and inhaled a great lungful of the aromas.

This was heaven, not some puffy cloud place with pearly gates. This, family, friends, food and... He looked down at the food laid out in front of him, the platter of BBQ seitan looking appetizing, "Seitan." Dean laughed. Sam heard him and joined him.

"It looks good, Dean." Amelia reached over and speared a chunk of it for her plate.

Dean looked over at Cas and then her and said, "It sure does."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh, I think that I might add another chapter to this (I know, it was a one-shot, but writing this is like some kind of drug). Anyway, hope you like it well enough.


	4. Chapter 4

Dinner had been a pleasant experience. There had been praise ladled out with each scoop of stuffing and forkful of turkey. Even the seitan was complimented.

With bellies full to bursting and pie still to be had, the family ventured out to the living room for the annual strategy session. Thanksgiving was now officially over, at least to Dean's way of thinking. Samuel laid out the Black Friday advertisements on the living room table. The Campbell cousins were good right hand men and women. They each has tasks to perform, items to obtain. "Now, Christian here is going to get the T.V. I think that he's the strongest and the quickest. There's only five total and everyone will want them."

"I've got this grandpa." Christian was always quick to please Samuel. The bit of praise in Samuel's words would likely warm Christian's cold heart all the way to the new year.

Samuel smiled and then turned to Sam. "So, you gonna join us as we do our patriotic duty and support the economy?"

Sam had been comfortably stretched out on the loveseat with his head resting on Amelia's shoulder. The words seemed to punch something out of him. "Uh, no."

"Why not? We could really use you. Getting past all those little demons that think that they need the flat screens more..." Samuel had a look of pure joy on his face as he mentally plotted out the family plan of attack that would take place in the Walmart.

"No offense grandpa, but that sounds like Hell, and I've still got my soul." Sam was trying to keep his tone light.

Dean decided a joke was in order. "Well, you did eat all that seitan that I made. You know once you invite seitan in you gotta take him shopping in Hell."

"Funny I don't remember seeing many seitan eating hippies at Walmart." Sam laughed.

"Oh they're there, Sammy. Soulless freaking hippies all over the damned place. Time to join your people." Dean laughed now too.

"Well, I guess that means that neither of you will be joining us then." Samuel turned from one to the next and then added, "Typical."

Dean rested a hand on Cas' leg and decided that nothing Samuel could say would get to him. He had a belly full of good food, a gorgeous man next to him, family, and a few pies on the horizon that required his attention. While taking in the glow of it all, Dean heard Henry shuffling in. He settled down into the couch next to John and rested a hand on his shoulder. "Got the attack plans all sussed out yet?" Henry's words were directed at Samuel.

"Yeah, looks like just the Campbell side. Can't seem to get your people up off of the couch." Samuel huffed out.

"Yeah, the Winchesters are a bunch of feckless, layabouts that get up at the crack of dawn to cook a veritable ton of food for the whole family, but God forbid you should need them for shopping. They just draw the line." Henry sent a wink Dean's way. Dean pretended not to see it for fear of drawing Samuel's irritation.

Samuel ignored it and instead asked, "So, you want to hit the stores, old man?"

"Ha, you have me confused for one of your brood. I'd get trampled by the crowds." Henry caught the little smile on Samuel's face and so did Dean. "Oh, I see. You're trying to get rid of me. Wow, Samuel, way to feel the holiday spirit."

Samuel laughed a little at the comment. "Seemed like a solid plan. One less cranky old man competing for the title of world's best grandpa."

"There was a competition? Thought that ended years ago with my victory." Henry laughed back.

Mary chimed in, "Now, boys am I going to have to intervene here?" She looked to her father and then to Henry. Her smile was disarming. Both men seemed to have been charmed into peace.

"Now, Mary, you could always join your old man for the holiday shopping. Just like old times, huh?" He gave her a wink and she seemed to consider.

"I've promised to accompany John when he drives Henry home."

"Ah, poppycock. You picking that old cuss 'against your own dad? This is a sad day Mary. Truly sad." He adopted the look of sorrowful betrayal.

John said, "You can go with him if you want. I'll be fine taking dad home on my own."

Clearly Join didn't pick up on Mary's very obvious signals, but Dean did, and he was amused. Mary, still trying to get out of shopping said, "No, John. You need me to follow so that you can get home." Henry's caretaker had driven him to the house and then she called for a cab to take her to her own family.

"Don't worry about it, Mary. One of the boys will follow me." Still completely clueless, John turned to Sam and Amelia, "You two want to do the trek out to Henry's?"

Sam looked from his dad to his mom. He clearly grasped the situation, but didn't know how to help. Boy was John going to be in trouble later. "Sure, dad." He turned back to Mary and her stony smile.

"Well, thanks Sam. Now, I have no excuses."

"So, you'll join your old man then?" Samuel did look rather happy.

Mary huffed out a sigh, "Yeah, dad. I'll join your little crusade."

Samuel smiled, then, surprisingly, turned his attention to Cas. "So, you want to join us, Cas?" The two of them had forged a conversation over dinner on the usually forbidden topic of religion. Samuel's eyes came more alive as Cas detailed his current studies in western versus eastern philosophers.

Samuel has a lot of opinions, but Cas held his own. This seemed to entertain Samuel even more. Normally he did not like to be challenged, but in this subject, he seemed to like how the challenge lead to a deeper discussion. At least that was what Dean gathered from Samuel's laughter and smile.  _He actually smiled._ Dean has nearly choked when he has noticed it.

"Oh, no. I'm a minimum wage employee. Maybe when your people see fit to vote in an increase, I'll go shopping with you." Cas smiled through his answer. Dean nearly choked on a breath.  _Shit, he's talking politics. All Hell's about to break loose._  Dean braced himself for the coming storm.

It didn't come. Instead, Samuel let out a snort of laughter, "Guess I won't be towing you down the Walmart aisles for a while then." He turned to Dean then. "I like this one. He may not supply me with the requisite number of grandchildren that I require, but I can likely get a few extra out of those two." He nodded over to Sam and Amelia.

"Hey, that's a little premature, don't you think" Sam's voice was raised an octave.

Amelia gave Sam a raised eyebrow. "Really, Sam. You aren't ready to make an honest woman out of me yet and give your grandfather more grandbabies?"

Dean was thoroughly enjoying the torment that Sam was experiencing. He just eased back into his seat, stretched out his legs, and threw a casual arm over the back of the couch, behind Cas. He threw a grin Cas' way and saw that he was enjoying the spectacle too. In the midst of Sam stammering though, something unexpected happened.

Sam dropped to one knee in front of Amelia, seitan loving, animal doctor Amelia. He took out a small jewelry box from his pocket and said, "Was waiting for the right moment. Now seems pretty right to me." Amelia was the picture of shock.

Mary was already crying. "Oh, Sammy." Mary pressed her first to her lips to bite back any further interruptions.

Sam continued, "Amelia, you know me, know my past, and still, you love me. You are generous, kind, and everything a man could want for a wife. I was aimless and lost before I met you. You gave me so much. I just need to spend the rest of my life with you trying desperately to give you back even half of what you've given to me. Tell me that this plan works for you. Tell me you'll be my wife." He looked nervous now, like he thought that she'd say no.

"Oh, yes, yes, yes, Sam." She flung herself off of the couch and into his arms. The rest was a chaos of hugs and manly shoulder claps. Mary was crying and saying something about always wanting a daughter.

After offering a hug and a hearty congratulations, Dean eventually headed off into the kitchen for the pie that had been ignored for long enough. Cas joined him at the counter. "Tell me you're a fan of pie."

"Who isn't?" Cas reached out and took the offered plate of pecan pie, the carmelly filling practically oozing out in wild abandon. "This looks amazing." He dragged out the word amazing, licking his lips at the end.

Dean traced the path of his tongue like it was inviting him in. Cas raised a forkful to his mouth. "God, I could watch you eat all day."

"Wow, Dean." Cas smiled as he swallowed down his food.

"Oh, sorry. Sometimes my mouth doesn't get the memo about which thoughts are supposed to be secrets." He felt heat rising up to his face.

"I don't mind." He took another bite, slowly dragging the fork back out past his lips. "Hmm." He leaned toward Dean. He swallowed. "Kinda like watching you too."

Dean could barely concentrate on the pie with all of the distraction that Cas was supplying. As he finished his last bite, Sam came in, clearing his throat as he did so. "Hey, Dean."

"Sam." Dean looked up at him.

"Amelia and I are going to pop over to her dad's place to share the news after we help with dropping off grandpa. I just wanted to make sure you knew that you are going to be my best man."

"Of course I am. Who else could make an embarrassing speech about you like I can?" He pulled Sam into a hug and added, "Love ya, Sam. I'm happy for you too."

"Thanks Dean. I'm pretty damn happy." Sam smiled, and with a bounce in his step, headed out.

Dean cast a glance at Cas then, "Hellava, second date, huh?"

Cas took a small step toward him. "Can't wait to see what you surprise me with for date number three."

"I don't think that I have much that can top Thanksgiving and unexpected marriage proposals. Might have to let you set up date number three." Dean took a small step toward Cas now. The distance between them was small. He felt Cas hand slowly trace a path up his arm.

"No fair. How can I compete with dates one and two? Those dates were something." Cas leaned in. "I mean how could I possibly kick this up any more?" His words were now a low growl crawling past his ear. The words and all that they implied shook him in all the best ways.

"God, Cas." He reached out then and looped his fingers through Cas' belt loops, pulling him in with the move. "I'm going to thoroughly kiss you now, and it's going to count as part of my epic dates. Just want to be sure you know where your starting line is."

"Too much talking." Cas bridged the gap and cut off the conversation. Dean was fine with that plan. He was fine with the other plans forming in his head too. He was about to deepen the kiss when his mother's voice popped up behind them.

"Oh, sorry. I, uh, sorry." She was about to leave, but Dean stopped her.

"Hey, no worries mom. Sorry, about the P.D.A."

"I was just getting ready to head out with your grandpa on the annual hunt for holiday bargains. Wanted to make sure to thank you personally for all that you did to help me get out of it." She gave him a little hug.

Dean let her go and said, "But I didn't do anything to get you out of it."

Mary's lip curled up into a smirk. Well then, take that gratitude with the dose of sarcasm that it was delivered with." She turned to Cas then. "And you, Cas, you were a pleasure to meet. It seems like we'll be seeing more of you, sweety."

"It was nice meeting you too, and hopefully Dean finds me tolerable enough to keep around for a while." He glanced at Dean who was rolling his eyes at him.

"Clearly, I barely find you tolerable." Dean laughed.

Cas joined in the laughter. Just wait 'til you learn my fifth date secrets. "

"Well, on that note, I'll bid you both adieu." Mary moved toward the door.

"Mom must like you. She only throws in the French for the special people.

"Dean, get in here and help out." The unmistakable rumble of his father's voice came to them from the living room.

"On my way." He threw a chaste little kiss on Cas' cheek. "Rain check. Don't leave. He likely just wants me to help carry out grandpa Henry's bag of leftovers or something."

Dean rushed off to the living room and saw that his dad was helping Henry out of his seat. "Say goodbye to your gramps here and help us carry out his stuff." John looked past Dean and added, "Here, Cas you can get this." He tossed a bag over Dean's shoulder to Cas, who apparently had chosen not to stand around in the kitchen waiting for Dean's return.

Dean shrugged and took the rest of Henry's items out to his car. They loaded him up and Dean gave him a hug. "Glad you made it out this year gramps."

Henry looked at him and then cupped Dean's cheek in his hand. "I love you Dean. You remind me of a nicer version of John."

"Hey." John threw up his hands. "Who's driving you home old man? I don't see Dean lifting a single finger."

"He cooked me a full meal and he put up with all of us grilling his boyfriend. I think that he has done enough. And, like I said, he is a lot like you but nicer." He turned to Cas then. "Glad I got to meet you young man. Seems you have done the impossible this evening."

"Really, what's that?" Cas cocked his head to the side in contemplation.

"You managed to get the approval of both of Dean's grandpas. That is technical first for Samuel. Not me though. I always approve of Dean's choices." Henry clapped Dean's shoulder and lowered himself into the car seat. "Let's get going son. I got a long night of sleeping to do." He nodded at Dean. "See you soon."

"Bye grandpa."

The car pulled away and Cas and Dean walked back up to the now quiet house. "So, uh, when should I cash in that rain check?" Cas took Dean's hand in his and swung it back and forth as they walked.

"Not sure. Seems like this evening is doomed to be interrupted at every turn." Cas stopped at the foot of the stairs and looked off around the corner.

"What's on the back side of the house? I never looked."

"Oh, just a big, old field. We have a wheat crop. It's small." Dean looked like he was planning to mount the steps. Cas pulled him toward the corner and together they wandered off to the back yard and the wheat. "See, not much happening here. Place use to belong to my grandpa Henry. When he started needing more care, Sam and I moved in with him and took care of him and his land. Then about a year ago, he decided to move into the assisted living complex downtown. We tried to convince him to stay, but he is stubborn when he gets an idea in his head. He thinks that he is a burden to us or something. He's not, but even with all of the arguments that we had afterwards, he still moved out."

"I imagine that you might be a bit like him." Cas gave Dean's hand a little squeeze and then let go.

"I'll take that as a compliment." Dean ran a hand back up through his hair and let his eyes linger on the field. Cas walked out into it a little, and there was something kind of magical about it. The look of him all bathed in moonlight that was made even more golden by its reflection on the blades of wheat swaying in the little night breeze. He lifted his hands out at his sides and let the wheat tickle the undersides of his palms. Dean stood and watched as Cas closed his eyes and stood there a bit longer.

"I would like to redeem my rain check here, if you don't mind." Cas opened his eyes and Dean felt like they were glowing out at him with a type of electricity that was pulling Dean toward him.

"So, you already want to redeem the rain check, huh?" Dean walked up to him and stopped at the edge of the wheat. Cas turned away from him to look out across the vast expanse of land, all of it swaying back and forth. There was a serenity to the moment. The air around them was crisp with the beginnings of winter on the horizon. Dean felt warmth radiating from Cas. To think that just a few days ago they had not known each other. Dean's lips slipped up into a half grin.

Cas turned back to Dean and said, "I would very much like to pick up where we left off the other day. I think that we already took care of the kitchen." Cas pressed up to him and wrapped his arms around Dean's waist. "I like how easy it is with you."

"I can't believe that you think meeting all of my family is an easy thing." Dean laughed, a little quiet sound in the night. "You are not normal, Cas."

"Somehow I don't think that you were looking for normal, and your family is pretty great." Dean leaned in closer. They could kiss now, but Dean liked the lingering just as much. He stared at Cas, and Cas stared back. He wanted to just keep taking it all in, the look of him, the little wisps of breath that tickled out of him with each word, just like the night breeze on the field. Dean swayed a little too, enjoying the way that the movement created a little friction between them.

"It's weird that we haven't even known each other a week." Dean wondered if Cas felt like he did, if it seemed like longer.

"It is. You should have come to the co-op ages ago." Cas laughed at Dean's sour expression.

"Yeah, 'cause I'm a giant hippie." He kissed Cas on the forehead then. "You're right though. I totally needed to find you ages ago." Now Cas pressed a kiss into the edge of Dean's neck, just above the pulse point. Dean wondered if Cas felt the upkick of his heartbeat with his lips.

"How long before your family comes back?" Cas tipped his head back, smiling in a way that sent a message.

"Too soon." Dean leaned in though and finally kissed Cas. He realized suddenly that they had wasted too much time not doing just this. He felt Cas' lips part and he sent out a tentative flick of his tongue. Cas hummed out a sound that encouraged Dean all the more. He moved his hands up Cas' back and under the ridiculous Christmas sweater. Skin. His fingers kneaded the muscles in his lower back like they were trying to crawl up to the surface of some great cliff. He felt Cas slipping away from his mouth, but it was just to suck a trail along his neck. "God, Cas, I want you."

"So, when will your family be back?" Cas only stopped kissing his neck long enough to ask, and then he was back at it again. Dean did not know if he could answer. Cas' hands started to toy with the hemline of his pants, almost like they had plans too, and Dean liked all of Cas' plans so far.

"Henry's place is just five miles from here, so really way too soon." Dean leaned back a little, giving Cas more territory to kiss. Cas slowly moved back up Dean's neck and back to his lips. It was warmth and promised much. Dean could hear the distant purr of an engine that might or might not belong to his people. He pulled Cas closer, lining up their bodies more, chests pressed up to each other, hips in sync. He could now hear the mood killing crunch of gravel as the car made its way to the front of the house.

"Sounds like they're back." Cas pecked out two more small kisses to Dean's lips before releasing him and taking a step back.

"They're fast when they need to be slow. I had hoped that they would have stayed and visited with him a bit." Dean cast a glance over his shoulder then back at Cas.

"Guess I'll just have to have you over to my place for dinner for date number three." Cas reached out and took Dean's hand in his.

"Sounds tolerable." Dean's eyes had little crinkles of mirth forming at the edges.

"Only tolerable?" Cas gave him a playful punch. "I'd have thought that it would sound pretty damn good since I live alone and have no family coming to visit for the foreseeable future."

"So, more food for me then," Dean joked.

Cas laughed at him, "I see, you are just in this for the food. And here I thought that I was practically throwing myself at you. Maybe I should hang a hunk of brisket from my neck or something."

"God, that would be hot."

"Eww. No."

"What, Cas, you know I like brisket." Dean smiled down into a last chaste little kiss, knowing that his family could interrupt at any moment.

They walked back to the house and Dean's family, hand in hand. The wheat fields waving behind them, the night sounds a melody, the promise of another night with Cas a dreamy reality that kept Dean's feet from feeling like they were ever on the ground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter four won't likely be the end, but my next chapter will not happen for a while as I need to finish my DCBB and Wayward. Thank you all so much for the love and support for this little one-shot that wasn't a one-shot. 'Til the next update.


	5. Chapter 5

After Thanksgiving, there was a time of great activity for both of them. Dean's family was constantly around. Some random cousins stayed at the house, and when they left, others showed up to take their place. Each group had Christmas and shopping on their minds. Dean had Cas on his. Cas had been busy too. The Thanksgiving week had provided a false sense of just how much time Cas truly had to spare in his life. Between school and the co-op he literally had no spare time. They had tried to schedule a third date in the following week only to find that neither of them could make it work.

The only thing that seemed to get Dean through was the constant stream of text messages that the two of them sent. Talking with Cas was easy. He was grateful for that, since he had worried at first that the lack of a third date might have been due to Cas' lack of interest in him. It was a strange worry to have, but the early phase of most romances will often result in irrational fears and moments of being overly critical of one's self.

Dean took to wearing the phone more often than he had before. He use to leave it hanging in his coat pocket in his locker at the shop or cast aside on the kitchen countertop when he got home. It had not held much importance before, but now it was the gateway to Casland, and he was not willing to be parted with it for any major length of time. The comforting buzz that it would give every couple of hours, elicited a Pavlovian response from him. No matter what he was doing, he would immediately stop to read whatever Cas had sent. It was usually something small and insignificant, a good morning, or a how are you today. It hardly mattered what the message was; Dean's reaction was always the same, face cracking smiles that ran all the way up to his eyes.

"Seriously, Dean, I am talking to you." Sam drummed on the counter.

"Yeah, I'm listening." Dean flipped the phone back down to the counter face down, after having looked at Cas' message. It was one of his random musings. He did that a couple of times per day as the customers inspired him. Today's musing was, Why do people wear rainboots when it is not raining?

Dean wanted to reply back, psychic, but he had to wait for Sam to stop giving him the irritated stare. "So, what did I just say then?" Sam was sitting across from him on one of the stools that they set up on one side of the kitchen counter, a plate full of barely eaten breakfast in front of him.

"Uh, something, something, blah, blah." Dean smirked across the counter at him.

"Wow, nice talking to you too." Sam picked up a piece of dry toast and took a bite.

Dean pushed a tub of margarine over at him. "Looks and sounds like you are eating sand paper."

Sam pushed it back. "Don't need it, thanks." Dean could see now that he had maybe offended Sam.

"Sorry. What were you saying? You have my undivided attention now." His phone buzzed and he did his damndest to not even look at it.

Sam smirked and started talking again, glancing down at Dean's hand next to the phone. "So, I was saying that Amelia's dad offered us his place for the ceremony. He has a rather large ranch. It's really nice there. Problem is that we have a finite window to do this in, since they want to sell the place this summer."

"That place rocks. Why do they want to sell it?" Dean felt the buzz again and his hand gave an involuntary twitch. He did not flip the phone over though.

Sam smiled and replied in a leisurely way. "Oh, I don't know really. They said something about having an empty nest now, and how they don't need so much room."

"What's your timeline then?" Dean took to drumming his fingers on the counter.

"We think that we need to do it by March so that they can start showing the place in April and May." Sam sighed. "I didn't realize how much work it was going to be, but Amelia's a trooper. She says that we can swing it. We just have to keep it simple, ya know."

"Yeah, well, if you have some work you need to throw my way, I'm game. I have quite a bit of the free time in the evening and on the weekends." Dean glanced at the phone again.

"Maybe you don't. Phone's been buzzing a bit. You two figure out the third date thing yet?" Sam reached over and tapped the phone with his index finger.

"Nope. He's in the busy season for school and all. I don't know if he's going to have much free time until the winter break. Even then, I'm not sure." Dean's voice was a low murmur.

"You've been texting each other plenty, so I'm sure it'll work out eventually. Have you tried just calling him and setting something up?" Sam went back to eating while he waited for a response.

"Nah, I don't want to be pushy. It really is his turn. Plus, I don't want to seem desperate. I mean, maybe he's just not that into me." The phone buzzed again.

"So, I guess someone else has been sending you about a million messages then." Sam laughed and pulled the phone over to himself. He flipped it over and swiped it on.

"Hey, not cool, man. Give it back." Dean's voice carried a note of menace, like he should be taken seriously. Sam scrolled up through the messages and stopped.

"Whoa, that was more than I needed to see." He turned the phone to Dean with a picture that he had sent a couple of days prior.

"Ain't nothing wrong with that picture. Not like it's a dick pic or anything. Got all my clothes on." Dean reached out and tried to snatch the phone back. Sam jumped away.

"It's you. You totally changed clothes for this picture. You haven't worn that outfit since Gwen got married. And that face, seriously, I think that we call that look the smolder." Sam laughed and did his best to imitate the look. He rolled his lip up a little and it made his nose wrinkle up too. He squinted his eyes just a little then he licked his lips. In his best breathy voice he said, "Hey, Cas. How do you like my totally casual picture." Dean made a move for him again as he darted around the other side of the counter island. Sam continued, "Yeah, I was just lounging around when I took this picture. Let me know if you need a better one." Sam's tone would have been funny if the recipient had been anyone but Dean.

Dean faked a move to the left and then went right. Sam had misjudged his move and was caught. "Give me the phone Sam." Dean's arms were around him.

"I would if my arms were free, ya big oaf." Dean loosened his grip just a little and Sam handed him the phone. Dean let him go the rest of the way. "Looks like he was trying to get you to go to lunch or something."

"Shit." Dean looked over the message and saw that all the buzzing was almost his third date. The first one was pretty casual, Hey Dean, I've got a tiny lunch break if you want to come by the co-op. The next message was a more explanatory message. I have to start the lunch thing in the next fifteen minutes though, because I won't have time later. The third message was all about regrets. Story of my life. I can't do lunch now. Sorry, I am starting to worry that you might give up on me at this rate.

He hadn't noticed, but Sam was reading over his shoulder. "Oh, sorry 'bout that. I only saw the first one. That sure fell apart fast."

"Yeah, that's how all of our arrangements have gone down this past week." Dean slumped back onto his stool and leaned into the counter staring at the phone screen.

"Why don't you just pop in on him anyway? He sounded like he was feeling guilty and all. Not like you have to be to work until later this evening anyway."

"What am I going to say? It'd be awkward popping in while he was working." Dean set the phone down.

"So, what you're saying is that you need a valid excuse to go in and see him." Sam smiled across the counter at him.

"No, I'm saying that I don't have a valid excuse, and that it would be awkward." Dean sounded mildly irritated.

"Well, I was thinking of inviting Amelia over for dinner tomorrow to suss out our wedding details a little more. You would literally be the best big brother if you would whip something up for us to eat, like maybe some more of that seitan or something." Sam's tone was one of conspiracy and affection. He gave Dean a little wink as he finished.

"Seriously, Sam? We already let seitan into the house once, now you want to have it again. I'm starting to think that seitan drives a person to insanity." Dean laughed little. "You aren't going vegetarian are you?"

"Uh, maybe. Regardless, I just gave you a totally legit reason to go shopping at the co-op."

"Yeah, that won't be obvious or anything." Dean was smiling though with the possibility.

"So what. Be obvious. The guy thinks that you might not be interested anymore." Sam paused for a moment while Dean seemed to think this over. "Plus, you are totally helping your brother out. I have literally no cooking skills. Just make me look good until Amelia marries me." He adopted the puppy eyes now and Dean was sold.

"Fine, I'll go get you some more seitan, you dirty hippie." Dean got up and slipped the phone into his pocket. "How do I look?"

"Fine, you dork. Don't put on the 'I'm trying too hard' outfit. This one is fine." Sam laughed at him.

"That outfit rocks. Plus, he asked for a picture for his contacts. I was just giving him what he asked for."

"Sure, sure, Dean. Now get going before you lose your nerve." Sam patted him on the back as he passed, scooping up his keys as he went.

* * *

 

The first move is often the easiest. Just getting going is something that Dean was usually pretty good at. It was the later steps that proved problematic, because they usually came after time, time which allowed for thought and careful consideration. He sat in his car outside of the co-op and drummed at the steering wheel while "Hell's Bells" screamed out from the speakers. It should have given him a little courage, but instead it made him feel nervous butterflies.

"Bite the bullet," he said out loud to the empty car. He got out and strolled with what looked like confidence to the entrance. He hesitated just before opening the door. "Point of no return." He gripped the handle and entered. The place seemed quiet. There was a petite red-head working the checkout counter with headphones in her ears. Her head was bopping around and she was waving her arms a bit to the music that must have been in her head.

Dean walked up to her and tapped her on the shoulder. "Oh, Merry Christmas!" She practically shouted as she jumped back from his hand.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." Dean tried not to laugh.

"I shouldn't listen to my music so loud. Can I help you with something?" She smiled as she asked, and even pulled the headphones out of her ears.

"Yeah, I was just hoping to see Cas. He working today?" Dean tried to sound casual. A quick sweep of the room gave him no vision of Cas though, and he wondered if he had misunderstood when Cas had said that he was working today.

The woman smiled, large and knowingly. "Oh, you must be the maybe, almost, kind of boyfriend Dean."

"That's me." He held out a hand and she shook it. "I'm the maybe, almost kind of boyfriend."

"Cool." She was a giant smile now.

"Is that how he described me?"

"I read between the lines. I'm cool like that. I'm Charlie by the way, his bestie."

"Oh, nice to meet you. He told me about you." Dean shuffled about a little, and then added, "So, is he here?"

"Oh, yeah. He is in the back, stocking the milk products. He's probably freezing since he's been back there for ages."

"Oh."

"Yeah, you should totally go warm him up." She punched him in the shoulder and laughed a little. "Go on. It's just back that way." She waved to the back of the store where the milk fridge was. "Go through the door next to the fridge. You won't miss him."

Dean strolled back and turned to Charlie as he went. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it." She popped the headphones back into her ears and started swaying to the music again.

Dean opened the door and saw Cas hunched over a large crate of soy milk. His arms were bare as he had his shirt sleeves rolled up. He hadn't heard Dean enter, it seemed, because the fans from the fridge unit were a little loud. Dean stood there for a few more moments and watched him cut through a box next to the crate with a boxcutter. The muscles in his arms twitching with the move. Dean noticed that he wasn't wearing the blue sweater vest. It had been cast aside over a dolly that stood in the corner. Cas lifted out two of the gallon containers and turned to put them on the fridge rack. He saw Dean and nearly dropped them. "How long have you been standing there?"

"A bit. Long enough to admire the view." Dean smirked.

Cas set the milk in its place and walked over to him. "Well, aloha cowboy." With that he had Dean pressed back up against the wall as the words escaped his lips. Their bodies pressed flush against each other. Cas' hands were cold on his arms.

Dean flinched a little as they made contact. "Cold hands." Dean felt awkward all of a sudden.

"Sorry. Been in here awhile." He pulled his hands away from Dean and blew hot air on them. Dean took them from him and pressed them to his own mouth. He blew warm puffs of air on them. Cas leaned back into him again. He leaned his head past their hands and pressed a kiss into Dean's neck. "Missed you." His hips moved against him in a way that Dean could not stop concentrating on.

"Missed you too." He let Cas' hands go. Cas moved them back to Dean's sides. He moved them up under Dean's shirt to trail along his ribs. "So cold." The fingers on his sides were sending little goosebumps to the surface of his skin. He could feel his sides twitching under Cas' ministrations. He deepened the kiss and Cas pressed impossibly closer to him. He ran his own hands behind Cas and kneaded into the lower muscles of Cas' back. He let his fingers fan out a little, and subtly sent them lower.

Cas took in a deep breath as Dean tipped his head to the side to gain more access to Cas. His hands moved still lower. Cas moaned into the kiss. "You keep going down that path, and I won't be able to finish my shift." Dean's hands were partially settled in the back pockets of Cas' pants. With those words, Dean pressed his hands in all the way.

"Sounds like a solid plan. I don't have to be at work for a least a good two hours or so, totally flexible work environment."

"Flexible, huh?" Cas tipped his head back and looked at Dean, eyes wide open, hands still playing with his sides. Dean squeezed him and pulled him up a little.

"So flexible." Cas kissed him again, and this time there was a heat to it that seemed in no danger of being extinguished. He trailed the kiss down Dean's neck to the small divot between his neck and shoulder. He moved his hands up in what seemed to be an effort to remove his shirt. Dean wasn't much help though, because he was now lifting Cas up around his waist and turning him to the wall.

"Goddamn." Cas managed to get out as Dean sucked at his neck. "Good, goddamn." Cas' hand fell from Dean's side and slapped the wall where it stayed pressed as if to keep himself in place. There was no telling how far they would have gone with this if Charlie hadn't interrupted, her head peeking past the door tentatively.

"Sorry, super, super sorry." She hovered.

"What is it Charlie?" Cas sounded annoyed at first then he pulled himself together. Dean let him go and stepped back. "Sorry. What is it?"

"It's the boss. He's on the phone. He had some questions about the order that you put through. I tried to answer for you, but I didn't know what he wanted to hear. Sorry."

"No, I'm sorry. Totally unprofessional of me. Won't happen again. Can you tell him I'm coming?" She stepped back out, and he turned to Dean. "Looks like another thwarted attempt at intimacy for us, Winchester."

"Just make sure to schedule a third date, and you can make it up to me then." Dean nodded, and Cas walked over to the door, holding it open for Dean.

As Dean passed, Cas gave him a slap across the ass for good measure. "I'll call you tonight."

"Okay then." Dean winked and headed for the door. He totally forgot to pick up the seitan until well after he had gotten back in his car. He drove home thinking that he could always go back. He had an excuse. The feel of Cas' lips, the touch of his fingers on his skin, were convincing arguments for going back. He smiled, as the wind whipped through the open window of the car, his music blaringly loud, an anthem that carried him home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I keep coming up with reasons to add more chapters. I suppose that this might keep happening as long as there is interest. Thanks for reading and commenting.


	6. Chapter 6

The days slid by like dinosaurs in a tar pit. Which is to say, they didn't, and Dean was frustrated. The days at the shop should have proved distracting enough with all of the work that Bobby was pulling in before the Christmas holiday made everyone want to leave town. Most of his workers were hoping to have a minimum of two days with their families, so Bobby was planning to just close up for a spell to accommodate everyone.

Dean stared in quiet distraction at the Toyota Corolla that was parked in front of him. It was late, even by Dean's standards, but he had taken to working later so that he would not obsess over whether or not he would get to see Cas. The obsession was always unrewarding as he never saw Cas. He had not seen him since leaving the co-op nearly a week prior. Well, he did see him a little. Cas had been kind enough to send his own version of a contact photo. Contact photo was a good term for it as it inspired plenty of desire for contact.

With a frustrated humph, he lowered himself to the slider and eased his way under the car. The oil change would take less than fifteen minutes, so he was not really concentrating on it when the sound of a car approaching the shop made its way to him. He liked playing this little game where he would identify the car by its sound, and then he would proceed to identify the problem, all before he even looked at it. The quiet pops of engine noise were easy for him to identify. While fully invested in his position under the car he said, "1970 Volkswagen." He smiled at his quick identification. "Air cooled, four cylinder, loose distributer cap." The car came to a sputtering halt. He figured that Bobby would take care of it. He after all, had a few more cars on his list before he could call it a day.

There was a crunch of gravel coming to him from the direction of the shop. "Yeah, he's over there. You can see his legs poking out from under that Toyota."  _So, Bobby's off-loading the Volkswagen customer._

"Thanks Bobby," Cas' voice called out, and retreating steps could be heard.

Dean slid out from under the car immediately. "Cas?"

"Dean?" Cas used the same shocked voice as Dean, making fun of him with a raised brow. "You don't mind my showing up, do you?"

Dean got up and strode over to him, wiping his hands off on the rag that was tucked into his back pocket. "Hell no. You should try to show up more often. I mean like pretty much everyday."

"You'd never get anything done if I did that."

"And you'd never hear me complain." Dean stood right in front of him now, and Cas looped his fingers through Dean's belt loops.

"So, I've come to tell you some news." Cas smiled a little with the words.

"You have a loose distributor cap on that Volkswagen of yours, and you absolutely need me to fix it." Dean smiled back.

Cas looked a little confused for a moment. "Uh, no. The Volkswagen is fine." He stopped and looked back toward his car and then back at Dean. "Maybe I should have you look at it." Dean laughed at him. "Guess who just turned in his last paper for the semester? One guess."

"Oh, couldn't be you." Dean leaned in and popped a kiss on his nose.

"It's so me. I am done, done, done." Cas was bopping up and down on his toes a little with enthusiasm.

"Well, any idea what you are going to do with all of your spare time, now that you are done?" Dean gave him the most inviting look he could muster. Sam would call it the smoulder.

"So many ideas." Cas brought his hands up to Dean's neck and traced a path along him with his fingertips. Dean shivered a little with the contact and decided that the other cars could get their repairs tomorrow. "Was thinking that you might want to come over for dinner tomorrow. My place will be people-free, and there will be food of the meat variety."

"Could just come over tonight. I may not look it, but I am practically done here."

"Nope, tomorrow. I have what can best be described as a disaster zone of a home right now, and I don't want that to be your first impression of it. Plus, I need to get the groceries for dinner."

Dean pulled him closer, wrapping his arms around his waist. He moved them off to the side of the shop, out of the line of sight of the office where he was sure Bobby would be. The rest of the help had already gone home. "What if we get some fast food, and I agree to keep my eyes closed until we get to your bedroom?"

Cas sucked in a deep breath. Dean leaned into his neck and ran his lips along Cas' pulse. He hoped that he was mounting a convincing argument. The week had been frustrating enough as it was. There was always plenty of hot water at his place with all of the cold showers he had been taking. "It's hard to say no to you."

"Lot's of things are hard." Dean smiled into his neck. He could feel Cas' laughter throughout his body. "So, don't say no." Dean slipped his hands around to the front of Cas' jeans, tucking his fingers into the top, holding him there.

"I really want to do this right." Cas' hands moved up Dean's grease covered tee-shirt.

"To my way of thinking, whatever we do is gonna be plenty right. I don't think you know what this has been doing to my concentration." Dean leaned back down and kissed him. He sucked in Cas' lip, pressing it between his teeth just a little. He could feel Cas' fingers dig into his chest a little with the kiss. He let his own fingers dip further into Cas' jeans, a hint of what was to come if Cas just went along with the plan. Cas let out a shaky breath as Dean pulled back. "So?"

"Oh, god, don't stop." Cas pushed back into Dean and kissed him hard. His hands moving up behind his neck, pulling him into an angle that made everything so right. "I should have just called you."

"Really contradicting yourself right now, just so you know." Dean slipped his hands up under Cas' shirt, messing up his tidy appearance. He let his lips graze a line down Cas' chin to his neck, feeling the way that his neck tightened up on a swallow. "Why have one night when we can have two?" Dean smiled at the way that Cas' hips bucked up into him, the rough scrape of their jeans audible past the panting breaths that Dean was coaxing from Cas' lips.

"Dean, I am sure that I will regret saying this, but we need to stop." Dean took a step back, reluctantly. Cas looked like he was already about to dive back at Dean. Instead he said, "I really want to make this dinner thing happen, and I kinda like the idea of seeing you without your clothes on in a place that has zero chance of being invaded by family, friends, and well meaning Jehovah's Witnesses. As if to punctuate Cas' point, Dean heard the front door on the office slam and the sound of Bobby whistling away as he marched through the gravel toward them.

"I hate how right you just were," he said as he leaned back to him, both hands pressed to the metal siding of the building just above Cas' head. "Hate it sodamnmuch."

Bobby's steps were getting closer when he called out, "You boys out here still?"

"Yeah, Bobby." Dean stepped out from the side of the building with Cas at his side. Bobby took in their appearance, and Dean looked down at himself and then Cas.  _Yeah, they looked plenty guilty._  Cas' shirt was in complete disarray and the grease smears on his shirt had somehow managed to get stamped all across the front of Cas' once white button up. Dean ran a hand through his hair and avoided eye contact. Cas hadn't taken in the vista yet it seemed.

"So, Ellen sent me out here to retrieve you boys. She said that she made too much dinner and that we needed to get more mouths to feed in the house pronto. Her words not mine." He looked off back at the house. "So, what do you say?"

Dean was still holding out hope that Cas would go along with the fast food and bedroom plan from earlier, but then Cas said, "That sounds lovely, Bobby," and that killed all of his much more clothing optional plans for the evening.

Cas threaded their fingers together as they walked. Dean leaned down to Cas' ear and said, "So, no fast food for us."

Cas just gave his hand a little squeeze. "I make a mean steak. Just sayin'"

Dean swung their arms out a little at their side as they walked. Bobby said, "So, you sticking with this schlub?" Bobby nodded over at Dean.

"He seems tolerable." Cas laughed as he answered. "He already informed me that my vehicle has a loose something and that he will be fixing it."

"Distributor cap." Dean laughed. "Did I say I was going to fix it?" He winked as he said it.

"Pretty sure it was implied. I'll definitely owe you dinner for that."

"I'm already getting dinner tomorrow." Dean moved ahead of Cas a little and walked backwards, still holding his hand as they made their way to the house.

"Well then, I guess I'll have to think of something else." Bobby coughed at that and Cas added, "You like beer?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Well then, beer shall be your reward." Cas smiled and Dean turned back to the house, walking at his side again. Bobby took the steps two at a time and got through the screen door ahead of them.

"Boys said yes, Ellen." He called out into the house.

Cas leaned into Dean and whispered, "You're so not getting a beer reward, just so you know." He let Dean's hand go as he walked through the door. Dean stopped in mid-step and then did a kind of happy dance complete with high fives to the sky. Cas turned and caught the tail end of the move. "Cute."

Dean quickly rushed up through the door. "I try." He brushed a quick kiss across Cas' cheek as they made their way to the kitchen. Ellen had set out five place settings at the tiny four person table. "Jo here tonight?" Dean asked as he plucked up a plate from the table and made his way to the counter full of food.

"Yeah, she'll be down in a minute." Ellen turned to Cas then and said, "Thanks for agreeing to stay for dinner. I made way too much food. Sorry about the cramped seating that you'll get, but I don't suppose that you two will mind sharing a side, being that you are both in the honeymoon phase of things."

"I think I can put up with him hogging the elbow room." Dean tossed back over his shoulder. He was scooping up a bowl of stew into his bowl and a biscuit was tossed onto his plate.

"The plate is also for the greens, Dean." Ellen scooped a bit of salad onto the plate next to the biscuit. Dean gave her an ugly face. "Seriously, you'll get the scurvy if you don't round out your diet a little.

Cas stepped up to his side and dished himself up in much the same way as Dean had. Ellen gave his plate a serious glare before popping some salad onto his plate too. "Thanks, Ellen" He smiled at her as he made his way to the table and Dean who was already digging in.

"I think you two might be meant for each other, at least dietarily speaking." She laughed and came to the table with her plate. Bobby came back into the room, a little cleaner than he had been before. Both Dean and Cas looked down at their grease stained shirts then, seemingly realizing all at once just how messy they both were.

'Ellen, I'm so sorry about how I look." Cas slid back and looked like he was going to run for the hills. She reached out and pressed him back down to the seat.

"Don't be silly. I live at a salvage yard. Half the things I look at are grease stained." Bobby sat at her side and then a creaking of stairs echoed to them a moment later. "You on your way down, Jo? We got company."

"Yeah!" She hollered ahead of herself. Moments later her blonde bobbing head popped around the corner. "Hey Dean. Meant to come out and bother you earlier, but pops said you were working and that I was not to hinder that. His words." She started filling her plate and bowl with food and came back to the table with a mountain of food. Cas looked at it with wonder.

"Jo was born with a hollow leg. That's where she stores her food." Bobby took a light punch to the shoulder for that. "It's true."

"Biggest baby in the nursery. She nursed and nursed. I swear that child has been eating like a bear since she was in the womb." Ellen waved a fork at Jo, a look of deep affection beaming from her face.

"Well, enough about my eating habits," Jo said around a mouthful of meat. "So, it looks like Dean decided to keep you around. Or should I say, meeting the whole family at Thanksgiving didn't scare you off."

"Cas is a weird little dude. I think that he actually liked meeting you all." He turned to Cas a little and said, "Cas, in case you don't remember her from the party, this is Jo, my kinda-cousin."

"So you two put a label on this yet, or do we only label the kinda-cousins?" Jo asked.

"We may or may not be a thing. Haven't had the talk yet." Cas sounded like he was choking a little so Dean reached over and gave him a couple of well placed slaps between his shoulder blades. "Don't go dying on me."

Jo said, "So he's maybe your boyfriend?"

Cas piped up then, "I think that it is safe to say that Dean is my boyfriend. I mean, yeah, that is sort of how I describe him behind his back anyway."

"Actually, Charlie said that I was your maybe-kinda-almost-boyfriend. I found that title to be a bit of a mouthful though." Dean felt Cas' knee press into him as if to tell him that there was a joke to be made then, that neither of them would be making. Jo laughed across the table and muttered something about mouthfuls that was somewhat unintelligible past the food that she was chomping on.

"I raised a bloody heathen." Ellen scowled at her. They ate happily. Ellen told some stories of Dean's childhood and how they had practically all lived together when Dean was growing up. "Rather communal," Ellen had added as a description of life at the salvage yard.

"Kinda crowded with a whole extra family living here?" Cas asked.

"Not a bit. The Winchesters and the Singers have always been close. It was easy for us to share space. Plus, Mary and I are like sisters. John and Bobby are like brothers. Eventually, it just got easier to call each other by those titles when people asked how we were related."

"It was always funny that Dean, Sam, and I referred to each other as the kinda-cousins. It was like we didn't want to just outright say that we were cousins because it would be a lie or something. Then one day, pops said we were being stupid, and to just call each other cousins. After all…"

Dean and Jo both said in unison, "family don't end in blood, and it don't begin there either."

You still call each other 'kinda-cousins' though." Cas tipped his head as he asked, as if trying to figure out the reason for himself.

"Yeah, Dean and I had already grown use to the term, and now it is sorta special to us. Right, kinda-cousin?"

"You betcha, squirt." Dean laughed as she tossed a biscuit at his head. His hand flew up and caught it with ease. "Whoohoo, more biscuit for me."

"You two. I swear, we can never have a civilized meal with you both in the house." Bobby reached over and snatched the biscuit from Dean and promptly took a bite from it. Dean looked roundly disappointed in the loss. "Now, Ellen here has slaved over a hot stove, and the least you both can do is to not throw her food across the table." Ellen was hiding a smile behind her napkin. Bobby plucked a piece of the biscuit and threw it her way. She quickly lowered the napkin and caught the piece in her mouth.

"Always defending me to the end, huh?" She smirked around a mouthful.

"You know it." Bobby smiled back, plucked two more pieces and threw one each at Dean and Jo. Neither of them caught theirs. Cas just laughed until Bobby tossed one at him. It caught him in the forehead.

"I think this is the family that I have missed out on my whole life." Cas looked positively pleased. Dean reached over and rested a hand on his knee.

"Feel free to borrow them anytime. They are old and stale." Dean chuckled a bit and Bobby tossed a final chunk of biscuit at him.

"Yeah, enjoy that fresh biscuit there, boy. Old and stale my ass." Bobby grumbled around a grin.

They finished up the meal and Ellen forced them out to the porch. The night was cool, on the edge of a winter bite, but they had jackets. Cas borrowed one from the coat rack. Once they were settled into the wicker furniture that hugged the wall, Bobby passed out mugs of cocoa with a splash of courage in each. There was a porch swing, also wicker. Dean pulled Cas up next to him on the seat, wrapping an arm around him while they slowly rocked back and forth.

Jo had tossed them a fuzzy navy blue blanket, and Dean pulled it up over them both. Jo curled into a chair near them and wrapped her own yellow blanket clear up to her chin. Dean settled his gaze on Cas. The steam from the mug curled up around Cas' face. Dean wanted to lean in closer, but he chose to dial it down a little. It was enough to just have him here wrapped up next to him. They told stories and laughed around their mugs. Cas' hand rested on his leg beneath the blanket, thumb stroking back and forth.

"So, whatcha all planning for Christmas?" Jo asked, looking over at Dean and Cas.

"Mom and dad had said something about using grandpa's place to host again. Might be fun. They want to do the whole Christmas Eve thing, and then let Christmas Day be the blessed hangover." Dean moved his hand over Cas' and curled his fingers up with his.

"Sounds like the usual. What about you Cas? You joining us, or do you already have plans?" Jo sipped from her mug, the steam of it puffing out around her face. Dean turned a little more to Cas, feeling like he maybe should have asked Cas before if he wanted to join them. He felt a twinge of guilt for missing the opportunity.

"My family has told me that I am expected for Christmas Day. I will likely show up then. They would prefer it if I made a multi-day thing out of it, but I'd rather not. One day is plenty." Cas leaned a little into Dean's shoulder and rested his head there. Dean let his head fall on top of Cas' He pressed a slight kiss through his hair.

"You don't get along with your family?" Jo asked.

"I get along with them, and vice versa. I am just very different from them. Aside from their acceptance of me as an openly gay man, they seem to have a rather conservative bent. I never experienced any judgement on who I love or whatnot, but their politics are, shall we say, somewhat distasteful."

"Republicans." Jo groaned.

"If that were only the case. They are lovers of the conspiracy theories, and extremes of the conservative view. They actually think that Obama is not an American, that Obamacare will lead to euthanasia, and that abortions will eventually become mandatory if one supports the pro-choice movement." He huffed out a sigh and added, "So, you can only imagine how pleasant conversations are in that household."

"But they are fine with you being gay?" Dean wondered aloud.

"Yep. They are an enigma wrapped in a taco of crazy." They laughed and Cas continued, "Honestly, I sometimes think that they just come up with these things because it is entertaining to imagine crazy things are true. They have boring jobs, my mom and dad. Mom works in an office, spends all day surrounded by cubicle walls. Dad spends most days at home writing for a newspaper. His conservative pinings get picked up by the AP pretty regularly, so he likely just defaults to that brand of writing. You do that often enough and I guess some of it just sticks."

Bobby chimed in then, "Well you know the fiscal philosophies of the Republican party are not so…" Jo threw a pillow at him that she had tucked behind her on the chair. "Umph. Geesh, kiddo."

"No, pops, just no." They all laughed, and Bobby tossed the pillow back to her.

Cas' hand slipped a little from Dean's and drifted just a little down to the inside of his thigh. Dean shifted a little in his seat and tried to keep a straight face. He glanced down into Cas' face and saw the hint of a grin forming. "So, if you are around on Christmas Eve, ya wanna join my crazy family for dinner and whatnot?" Dean moved his own hand over to Cas' leg.  _Two could play this game._

Cas' grin shifted into something more serious as if he was trying to reign in his feelings as Dean squeezed his leg a little. "Maybe. I might not be able to stay long. I'll be leaving pretty early the next day in order to get there on time. They do a pretty early breakfast, present thing."

"Well, we do a pretty early dinner, present thing, so it might just work out. Plus, if you want to just leave from mine and Sam's place, you could." Dean tried to sound casual about it. He figured it would maybe work if he just didn't let his voice waver. He didn't waver, so there was that.

Cas' hand moved a little further up Dean's leg. Dean could feel his fingers tracing the inseam of his jeans. Dean mirrored his movement and heard the very quiet intake of breath from Cas. "Maybe. Your place is closer to the interstate." He tipped his head back a little and gazed at Dean. "Would you want to go with me?"

"Uh, you mean on Christmas Day?" Dean's mind went in all sorts of directions at once. Meeting parents was not a fun activity. Dean had exactly zero good memories of that. Plus, Cas' family did not sound like they would be bucking the trend in Dean's experiences with parents.

"I get if you don't want to. Maybe it is too soon for that." Dean felt Cas' hand slip back a little. Dean realized that he did not respond in the way that Cas had hoped. He slipped his hand a little higher up Cas' leg, letting his fingers graze dangerously high in a back and forth sweep.

"I'm down with meeting your family, if you think they'll be okay with it. Some people are not quite like my people. My family, totally chill about extras showing up. In fact, they kinda view it as a personal failure if we don't bring in the tired, the worn, the huddled masses during the holidays." Dean could practically feel the heat radiating from Cas' face. He kept up the motion of his fingertips and smirked at Cas as he was clearly losing the thread of the conversation.

He seemed to realize that it was his turn to speak, but he stammered as Dean's fingers grazed more than dangerously close. They found a target. "So." He cleared his throat. "I, uh…" Dean took pity on him and moved his hand back a few inches. "Thanks." Cas glanced away from Dean then back. "I am going to take that as a yes, you'll go with me. I'll let my parents know to expect an extra."

"They really won't mind?" Dean squeezed his leg and felt Cas' hand move back to his own thigh again.

"Not in the slightest. In fact, I think that they will be effusive in their attentions where you are concerned. I apologize in advance for that. I am pretty sure that they have been waiting a lifetime for something like this."

Jo chimed in, "So, you don't bring many people over to meet them, huh?"

"That would be a giant no. I actually don't date much. I never seem to have time, as Dean will likely attest to. I am sort of knee deep in a dissertation right now, and it seems like this has been my life for a millenia. I observe life and write about it. I don't really have time for anything else."

"And then there was Dean. Ah." Jo ladled on the extra tone of sappy affection. Dean found a pillow at his side and tossed it at her.

"Sap." He laughed as it caught her in the head.

"You had a pillow. I needed that. My back is killing me." Cas smiled up at him. Jo threw it over to Cas, and he caught it one handed, since his other was occupied. "Thanks." He wedged it behind him and added, "My family doesn't throw things as often as yours, so make sure to just pass the biscuits and pillows when you come to visit."

"Will do. I'll be on my best behavior." Dean winked down at him and let his hand move north by northwest.

Bobby got up then and stretched out. "I'm heading off to bed. You kids enjoy the porch as long as you like. See you tomorrow, Dean."

"Okie dokie, pops." Dean smiled as Bobby left. "So when you heading back to school?"

"Never." She laughed. "Just kidding. I have to be back by the 3rd. So I might head back on the 2nd. Not sure yet. I really don't think that driving on New Year's Day would be ideal."

Dean explained for Cas' benefit. "Jo's taking classes out at K.U. She's gonna be a vet or some shit like that." His lips curled up in a grin. He knew he was about to launch her into an explanation of her field.

He felt Cas' fingers curl into the inseam again. This time there was a continual flex to the motion. Jo launched, "Actually, I am going to be working with large cats at a zoo when this is all said and done. I think that Dean thinks that I'll be holed up in some tiny office complex, treating guinea pigs or something."

Cas' hand stopped moving and he said, "Guinea pigs rock. You don't want to treat guinea pigs?" Dean snort laughed and Jo's face wrinkled up a little, a huff of frustration accompanied it.

"Not the point. Like, so not the point. Guinea pigs are cool, but tigers, way cooler."

"Meh." Cas' hand began moving again. Dean smiled into the dark.

"No, meh. Seriously, like no meh whatsoever. Tigers. You don't meh tigers dude. Like have you even seen a tiger? Clearly Dean found you under a rock if you are mehing on tigers." She got up in a huff. "Guinea pigs, seriously. You are all cool with them, but tigers are meh?" Dean was full on cackle laughing now. Cas' hand retreated a bit. Dean let his move in fully. Cas sucked in an audible breath.

"Sorry, Jo. Clearly the tigers of the world have a true champion in you, and I was wrong to meh them."

Jo huffed back to her chair and laughed a bit. "I really like tigers."

"Clearly." Dean laughed again, pressing his fingers to the zipper of Cas' pants. He turned to Cas who was looking a little distracted. "So, you insulted my family's love of tigers, drank all of your hot cocoa, and secured a date to Christmas Day festivities with your maybe crazy conservative family. I'd say you've had a pretty full day, Cas."

Cas looked at him, eyes wide, a flush coloring his skin in a way that Dean could see even in the dark. "I hope that I haven't truly insulted anyone, but yeah, this has been a full day, a good one too."

"I'm good, Cas. I actually think that I may have overreacted a little." She laughed and Dean joined her. Clearly, Cas was unable to focus enough to laugh with them. The muscles in his leg tightened in a way that Dean noticed.

"So, ya ready to head out, Cas?" Dean looked down at him, eyes wide and filled with mischief.

"Yeah, I really do need to get home and clean up for tomorrow. The thought of you seeing my disaster house is gonna keep me from going to sleep before it is set to rights." Dean let his hand retreat a little and saw the response on Cas' face, disappointment.

"You should really just let me come over to help with the clean-up. It's the least I can do after keeping you out here." Dean hoped that Cas was getting it, the real thought process.

"Clearly, you are missing the point of my need to clean. You are not going to see the disaster that is my apartment until tomorrow. At which time it will be a meticulous, orderly, gorgeous show piece." Dean made a move to start getting up, when Cas' hand squeezed into his thigh. "Just so you know, you are almost convincing though."

"Bah, you two need to get a room already." Jo tossed her head back in a laugh.

"You don't even know, Jo." Dean laughed back and got up. The blanket fell from him and Cas scooped it up, laying it on the chair behind him. "Come on, Cas. I'll walk you to your car." He turned to Jo and swooped down to kiss her on the top of her head. "Tell your mom thanks for the grub. See you tomorrow or so."

"Bye boys. See ya on Christmas, Cas."

"Yeah, see ya then." Cas let his hand slip into Dean's as they walked off to his car. Dean hummed a little tune as they walked,  _Enter Sandman_. Cas joined him in the humming without missing a beat. They got to his car and Cas reached for the handle of his door. Dean pushed up against him, still humming right along with Cas. He hummed into his mouth, a melodious kiss. They stayed like that for a few moments, hands drifting here and there. Dean's fingers threaded through Cas' hair, tilting back Cas' head a little more with the movement. As the kiss slowly ended, Cas said, "So, tomorrow night?"

"What time? If we wait a few hours it'll be after midnight, and nighttime, and totally tomorrow." Dean felt like he was totally not against begging at this point. Cas smiled into another quick kiss.

"How's 6:00 work for you? P.M. not a.m." He added at a look from Dean that said so much more.

"Almost. So close." Dean ran a kiss along his jaw to his ear and said, "6:00 is fine. If you change your mind tonight, call me. I can make the drive in ten minutes, and I don't even know where you live." He leaned back and stared down into the bluest eyes he had ever seen. He was falling. He was sure of it. It was weird and foreign and all sorts of right. He had thought that it might just be physical, all of the tension leading to feelings of want and such, but it was more. It was a flutter of excitement at just the slightest sound of his voice. It was the way that he laughed and saw the world. It was something as simple as mentioning guinea pigs as if they were some sort of sacred thing.  _Yeah, this is happening_. He stepped back, happy and content to let Cas head home, knowing that there was more to come. "You know what feels better than this moment, Cas?"

"No, what?" Cas had his hands pressed back to his car.

"Literally, nothing." Dean walked backwards toward the shop, watching Cas for as long as he dared. Cas smiled back at him and dipped his head, almost shy. When Dean finally turned to walk back to his car, he began humming again. He could hear Cas doing the same in his wake. He got to his car and felt like it was all his, the whole fucking world. His chest felt full to bursting, and the stars were shining down with the promise of the nights to come.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to Dani War_Kittens for the beta work on this chapter.

There are many hours between the morning and 6:00 p.m., and Dean hated every one of them. He busied himself though. He went to Bobby's and worked on the last of the cars. He came home and cleaned. The house was already spotless. Sam came home, so he made him some lunch, sandwiches and homemade soup. The soup was an old family recipe with rice and chicken in the mix.

"So, you seem nervous." Sam muttered around a mouthful of the soup.

"Nope. Not nervous at all." Dean got up from the stool that he had been sitting on and snatched up a dishrag to start wiping down the counter. Sam kept sitting on the stool slowly slurping up his soup.

"You know it's okay to be nervous. I mean, it's a big step." Sam was grinning into each bite of his lunch.

"Shut-up. I'm not some teenager here. It's gonna be great. Cas says he makes a mean steak, and I for one am absolutely in the mood for steak." Dean reached out and pulled the now empty plate away from Sam, took it to the sink, and set it down. He turned back and stalked over to the stool and settled into it again.

"So, the food is likely not what is making you nervous." Sam gave his soup a little stir and scooped out a carrot. Before he ate it, he added, "Been a long time since you, ya know…" Sam's voice lowered a little like he was sharing some deep secret. He sucked the soup off of his spoon and then waved the spoon about a bit to signify all the things that Dean had not been doing lately.

"We are not having this conversation," Dean said as he picked up his glass of water and chugged down the last of it.

"So, when will you be getting home tonight?" Sam raised an eyebrow with the question. Little shit.

"What you need me to tuck you in or something?" Dean laughed at him and popped off of the stool to seemingly carry his glass to the sink now.

"I was just debating about whether or not I need to lock up or if I should leave it to you, for when you get home."

"Don't wait up." Dean's lip curled up into a little smirk. He walked back up to the counter and pulled Sam's soup bowl away and carried it over to the sink.

"So, he's coming over for Christmas Eve?"

"Yeah, and I'm going with him to meet his parents on Christmas Day."

Sam stretched out a little. "Oh, that sounds fun."

"Yeah, insert all of the sarcasm here."

"Are you guys staying overnight at the parent's house?"

"Oh, I don't know. I probably should have asked." Dean felt a little nervous tension creeping up his spine. "I'm guessing no, but wow, that could be awkward. They're like major conservatives or something."

"Hmmm, they okay with Cas having a boyfriend?"

"Yeah, they don't have those kinds of issues, but they might have issues with us shaking up under their roof and all." Dean leaned against the counter and considered all the ways that it could go wrong.

"Maybe you guys could just get a hotel nearby or something."

"Well, I'll just talk to him and figure it out." Dean pushed off of the counter and ran his hand up through his hair. "I really want this to work." It was a rare moment openness for Dean.

Sam seemed to be a little surprised by it. He tipped his gaze up at Dean and replied, "It will. He seems like he is just as invested. I mean, he came here to meet all of us on Thanksgiving, didn't he? He had dinner with you at Bobby and Ellen's. And he still asked you over for dinner. I'd say you're doing pretty well, Dean." Sam reached over and gave Dean's arm a little pat. "Meeting all of someone's family at once can be rather overwhelming. It speaks to your relationship that he is still in this."

"I just don't want to mess this up. Meeting his family sounds a little uncomfortable. He really sounded like he wanted me there though. You know me. I suck at words. They are going to likely bring out all of my best qualities, and by best I really mean worst."

"Dean, you can charm strangers without even trying. I've watched you do it. These people will be no different." Sam got up then and gave Dean a hearty slap on the shoulder. "Good luck tonight. Hope you remember how things work."

Dean shoved him and Sam just laughed. "Shut-up." Sam kept on laughing as he strolled out of the room. Dean cleaned the kitchen. His phone buzzed in his pocket.

Dean smiled down at his phone as he read Cas' message. **Still coming at 6:00?**

**Duh. Can I come by earlier?**

**No.**

**Please.**

**NO. Don't make me nervous about it either. I have so much left to do.**

**You nervous?**

**No.**

There was a bit of a pause as Dean considered responding. Instead another text came through from Cas, **Okay, maybe a little. It's been a long time.**

**Sam was just reminding me about how long it has been for me too. No pressure by the way. I will be just as happy having dinner with you.**

**Really?**

Dean had to think about it for a moment. He wasn't sure how to respond. He was fine with the no pressure part, and yet he really had elevated hopes for the outcome of the evening.

 **Whatever you want. I have hope that dessert will be a metaphor, but if it isn't, I will survive**.

He waited a few moments and added, **Barely**.

**Oh, good, because I totally want a metaphorical dessert. I thought that you were hoping for less dessert tonight.**

**Seriously, I have been trying to get to dessert since our first date. I have told you of my deep abiding love of pie, right?**

**Are we still talking about metaphorical dessert or is this now about literal pie?**

**Both. Dessert is awesome in all of its forms, literal and metaphorical.**

**I may be making a literal pie. Just saying.**

**Cas, I will worship you. I will pray to you every night. Tell me it's pecan.**

**Maybe.**

**I want to have literal and metaphorical dessert with you right now. Please let me come over early.**

**Please let me make this literal dessert without having to worry about you seeing me with flour in my hair.**

**Are you wearing the blue vest?**

**Uh, no. Why?**

**Just getting a visual. What are you wearing?**

**Is this sexual?**

**No, why would you ask that? Are you wearing clothing?**

**Well, I'm not cooking in the nude. Seriously, I could be injured if I did that.**

**Oh, don't injure any important parts. Metaphorical dessert requires working ingredients.**

**I have to get back to baking.**

**You never said what you were wearing.**

**T-shirt, torn jeans, apron.**

**Apron?**

**Yes.**

**Really?**

**You have a thing about aprons?**

**Trying to picture it. You should send me a pic.**

Dean waited and hoped. The picture came through. The apron was one of those novelty types with a picture of naked abs on the front.

**Happy?**

**Cracking up. You in an apron might be my new favorite thing.**

**Not sure how I feel about that.**

**Maybe you should lose some of the layers though. Maybe just keep the apron.**

**This is just you trying to get a nude of me in your phone. I have standards, Dean. :)**

**I don't :)**

**Send me a pic.**

Dean considered for a moment. What to send. **Uh, I maybe just got standards.**

**haha**

**Yeah, I talk a good talk.**

**You do. I like that. I can't wait to see you.**

**Same here. I keep cleaning and I even made lunch for Sam. Trying to keep busy to make the time pass.**

**Come over now.**

**Really?**

**Yeah. My house is clean, and some things are cooking. I will just be nervous waiting. Plus, we can make out while the steaks cook.**

**I'm on my way.**

Dean pushed the phone into his pocket and raced up the stairs to get actually ready. He had already spent a fair amount of time doing what he thought was necessary. His face stared back at him from the mirror, a picture of absolute glee. "Hell yeah, Dean," he said to himself as he pulled his jacket on over his grey button up. His jeans were tight in the way that accentuated the musculature of his thighs. He was quite ready to rush out the door. He was quite ready to rush off to Cas where there would be pecan pie and metaphorical dessert.

* * *

He arrived at the unassuming apartment complex that matched the address that Cas had given to him. The building loomed large on the corner of the street and was built up with tanned bricks. Cas was in a corner unit, he had said, number 520. Dean took the stairs up to the entrance two at a time. He carried a pack of bottled beers to hopefully pair with the meal.

Humming out a little tune as he got into the elevator, he pushed the button for the fifth floor with a little too much vigor. Dean was not afraid to admit that he had been humming REO Speedwagon songs ever since he woke up. Right now it was "I Can't Fight This Feeling Anymore." Later he might find himself belting out lyrics as opposed to just humming away. Sometimes emotions were meant to be shared, sometimes in song. He's happy, and the world needed to know it.

As he made his way down the hall toward Cas' apartment, he could hear another familiar tune floating through the air, Aerosmith. He picked up the pace. When he got to the door he could hear that the music was coming from Cas' place. Good musical taste. He knocked and the door practically opened before he finished. It was almost as if Cas had just been waiting on the other side ready to pounce. Dean couldn't blame him, he would have done the same thing. Cas reached out and pulled him into the music filled room,closing the door with one hand and pulling Dean in close with the other for a kiss.

His lips tasted like rosemary. Dean let Cas move him as he closed his eyes and lived in the kiss. He felt his back settle on the wall behind them, as Cas' hands ran up his chest and into his hair. "You taste amazing."

Cas laughed at Dean then. "You always take me by surprise. You say the strangest things." He leaned back and let his eyes rake over Dean. "Can't believe I get this."

Dean laughed at him. "You are a weird little dude. You are way out of my league."

"Really? I work for a natural foods co-op. Hardly a major player in the world. Not to mention, I was focusing mostly on the physical specimen that you are."

"Shut-up hot stuff." Dean leaned down just a little and kissed the tip of his nose. "I clearly find you barely tolerable." Dean pushed off the wall and sauntered over to the kitchen. "Show me the dinner stuff. I like to think about my food before I eat it," Dean said with a wink.

Cas followed him over to the kitchen. It was a small space with a center island containing the range and the oven. It was all white and pristine in its cleanliness. "Making twice baked potatoes. They're in the oven right now. If we make out too much they will be once baked potatoes. I'm fine with that option." Cas' lip curved up into a little grin. He continued, "The steaks are ready to cook. I made a spice rub for them. I also made some rosemary veggies, because the scent alone is worth the price of admission."

"There's an admission price here?" Dean wrapped his arms around Cas and kissed into his mess of hair.

"Yes, but you don't have to pay until later." He grinned up at Dean. "I'll take a down payment though, if you want to pay out in installments." The music moved from one of the heavier songs of the "Get a Grip" album to one of Aerosmith's ballad pieces

"Is this "Crazy," "Amazing" or "Cryin'"?" Dean asked as they swayed about to the song.

"Crazy. You okay with the album?"

"Yeah. Aerosmith is great." Dean let their hips do most of the dancing. They swayed about in lascivious circles, and Dean was quite content with that.

"I listen to this album to kick up my pace. It has just enough energy to keep me working, but not so much that I end up frantic and angry. The slower songs let me catch my breath." Cas kissed into his neck and settled his hands on Dean's shoulders. Dean let his own hands trail down to the waistband of Cas' loose-fitting, torn jeans. He let his thumbs trace into the space past the jeans to Cas' skin. He let his palms rest solidly on Cas' ass.

"You should not wear so many layers." Cas eased the jacket off of Dean's shoulders. Dean wiggled it off the rest of the way. He held it awkwardly for a moment. Then Cas stepped back and took it from him, and walked over to a coat rack to hang it up. "How many layers are left? You have a hidden t-shirt under that button up?"

"Just the button up." Dean slipped into Cas' arms again.

Cas fiddled with the buttons, then just started blatantly unbuttoning them. "Maybe I should check, just to be sure."

"You should, yeah. I sometimes do stupid things, like adding extra shirts where one would do just fine."

Cas got Dean's shirt unbuttoned and then held the edges of it as he pulled him to the living room. There was an overstuffed sofa facing a tall window. A small TV sat off to the side. Cas gently pushed Dean down to the couch. "Now, I have food going in there, so don't start thinking that we are going to skip to metaphorical dessert out here." Cas came down to his knees between Dean's thighs and ran his hands up to Dean's bare chest.

"Just so we're clear, you are not about to have metaphorical dessert with me, right here, right now?"

"Correct." Cas kissed Dean's chest and slipped his arms around Dean's waist. "Totally not doing that." He pushed Dean back a little, until he was laying on the couch. Cas climbed up on top of him. Dean reached for him and hooked his hands into the front of his jeans and pulled him down to him.

"So, this is like an appetizer then?" Dean worked his fingers up under Cas' t-shirt and peeled it off over Cas' head.

"Call it what you wish. Just don't make me forget dinner." Cas kissed him roughly, hands sliding back into Dean's hair. Dean was clinging to Cas and feeling the glorious press of his chest on his own. He considered how he might go about getting rid of the other barriers between them. Pants were so unnecessary right now. He opened his mouth to Cas and enjoyed the feel of his tongue as it slipped in slow and languid like Cas had all day to slowly consume him. Dean wanted to move through all the stages so much more quickly. He wanted to rip away the fabric that was standing between them. He wanted to forget about dinner. He wanted to just do this and nothing else forever. Cas was not speeding his movements. Dean pushed at the waistband of Cas' jeans in an effort toward more contact.

"Lean back," Dean breathed out just as soon as Cas let him. Cas just looked down at him, mirth playing about in his eyes.

"There is nowhere near enough time for that." Cas' lips curled up into a grin that said just how much he was enjoying all of this. Dean wondered how it was that he seemed to keep his cool during all of this. Clearly, I am not as good at all of this as I thought I was.

Dean rolled his hips a little to make a point then shrugged and said, "Okay." He let his hands drop down to Cas' thighs which were still shielded by jeans. Dean found a spot that was torn and slipped a finger into the hole, stilling his hand, just letting it rest there. He regulated his breathing back down to something resembling calmness, which was not easy seeing as Cas was still straddling his hips.

"Okay?" Cas shifted, and Glorious friction of the gods. Dean felt his efforts to calm himself wavering.

"I'm rushing you. I need to maybe cool my jets a little." Dean watched the look on Cas' face shift a little.

"Nothing about our relationship is rushed. It has been the most luxurious three weeks of my life. I've been basking in the glow of you everyday. You may not be available to me everyday, but the mere thought of you has been a focus since we first met. It's been three weeks that have felt like years. I am so entirely ready for more." He leaned down then, lips making a quick pass of contact with Dean's. He hovered over him and continued, "Despite the fact that I am halting your progress into my pants, I want that immensely. You are making me consider just how unimportant this meal might be, despite the fact that I have spent two solid days thinking of all the ways that I will seduce your palate before taking you to my bed."

Dean sucked in a lungfull of air as Cas' hips pressed more fully against his own in a manner that could not be ignored. "God Cas." Dean concentrated on their points of contact as Cas kissed past his jaw to his neck. He sucked at the soft spot of skin nestled between his shoulder and his pulse. Cas kept up a rhythm of movement with his whole body that seemed like a dance to the songs still pouring out of the stereo. Another Aerosmith song was surrounding them and Cas seemed to be using it as a pacing guide for more than just cooking.

A timer dinged in the kitchen some indeterminate amount of time later. Dean had lost all sense of focus that wasn't Cas on him, pressing his lips to his neck, chest, and lower. His body was a coiled knot of anticipation. Cas did not cease in his movements. Dean wondered if he would be able to ignore the timer that was quickly becoming a distant memory for him as Cas pulled at Dean's waistband, clearly thinking that now they might have time for the removal of pants.

"The timer?" Dean couldn't help but wonder aloud and then cursed himself silently for letting it out.

Cas unbuttoned Dean's pants and said, "Twice baked potatoes. They were going to be great. They will be baked once."

His head dipped back down to Dean's stomach and the protrusion of hipbone that was now exposed. "This is pretty great. Better than potatoes."

"You've never had my cooking. The potatoes are amazing." His hand slipped into Dean's pants and cradled him, fingers flexing in a type of pattern that seemed to be governed by the song playing out around them. Dean could dig that. "I have bacon to add to them and chives. I mash it all up with cheese and sour cream. It is quite tasty."

"Bacon." Dean smiled and his eyes rolled closed as Cas slipped his hand out and then back past the thin barrier of Dean's boxers.

"Yep, bacon. Already chopped and ready to go. Would likely take but a minute if you had the patience for waiting. You might not even know that I was gone." Cas didn't release him though, and Dean was arching up from the couch in time to the music and Cas' ministrations.

"I'd notice. Don't you dare leave." Dean slowly sat up so as not to disturb the contact that Cas provided. He cupped Cas' cheek with his hand and leaned into a kiss. Cas stayed and even picked up the pace.

Cas leaned back from him and said, "Really, no desire for bacon? I totally thought that I would convince you with the bacon."

Dean laughed, a quick burst of noise that threw off Cas' rhythm. He regretted it, but couldn't help himself. "I want you more than bacon, but I think that you maybe really want to make your fancy potatoes." He laughed again at Cas' look, almost puppy dog eyes. Only Sam had that look beat, and Dean pushed that thought aside, since his brother had no business showing up in his head right now. Cas' hand slipped back out of Dean's pants and he let out a sigh of regret.

"I'll be fast."

"Not the phrase I was expecting to appreciate this evening." Dean leaned back onto the couch and Cas got up.

"I did say that you were not allowed to skip to metaphorical dessert until after dinner." Cas headed back into the kitchen.

"Said the guy that was totally just taking advantage of me like two seconds ago. You were the metaphorical dessert thief. I was just biding my time with kissing and chastity. Completely innocent here."

Cas was pulling the pan out of the oven and clanging things around in what sounded like a speedy effort to finish. "Yep, Dean. You are completely innocent. Too chaste, too pure." He smirked over the counter at him. He had grabbed his t-shirt and put it back on, and then he was washing his hands. More clanging was happening. Dean got up then and zipped up his pants as he walked over. "Ah, now I have to start over."

"Choices were made, Cas. I was content with once baked potatoes. You could have had a tasty little morsel, but no."

"Oh, now I feel bad."

"Like I said, choices were made." Dean popped up onto the stool that was on the other side of the kitchen island. He peered down at the efforts that Cas was making. He was cutting up the very hot potatoes while wearing oven mitts, scooping out the innards into a big bowl, and then he was mashing it all up with his other ingredients. True to his word, there was indeed bacon. Cas took off one of the oven mitts and lifted a piece across the island to Dean.

"Taste this." Dean opened his mouth and Cas slipped the piece in.

"Mmm. That is good bacon." Dean mumbled around a bite.

"Yeah. Completely bought the fancy kind for our little meal. It would have been a shame for it to have gone to waste."

"Bacon is good for breakfast ya know." Dean waggled his eyebrows a bit.

"Oh, I didn't think of that. I might need to go get some eggs for tomorrow." Cas looked serious.

"Absolutely not. I am not interested in breakfast. I will eat…" He got up and walked over to the fridge. He spotted pie on the top shelf. "Pie. I will have pie for breakfast." He walked up behind Cas and wrapped his arms around him while he kept working, grinning away at his damn potatoes.

"Pie is good for breakfast." He turned in Dean's arms a little. "So you'll stay for breakfast?"

"Like there was ever any doubt." Dean kissed him and then let him go, returning to his seat across the counter.

"You make me happy, Dean."

"Same here." Dean watched Cas work. "How long before dinner?"

"An hour. Unless I put the steak in now." Cas looked up. "It's too early for dinner though, don't you think?"

"Put the steak in now." Dean's voice dropped into a low rumble. He couldn't believe that he had to spell this out for Cas. "Early dinner means early dessert. Are we on the same page?"

"All caught up now." Cas swooped back and pulled open the fridge door. He got the steaks and set them in the oven and adjusted the temperature. His potatoes seemed to be nearly ready for their second trip into the oven.

The smells of the many foods cooking away in the kitchen, the carefully selected spices that Cas was applying, the music that was still churning out hard and fast around them, was all adding up in Dean's mind. It was becoming a complex and beautiful thing, and Cas was in the middle of it all.

* * *

Dean exercised great restraint as he sat across from Cas watching him cook. He exercised great restraint each time that Cas crouched down to retrieve low lying pots and such, his shirt riding up a little, revealing the barest hint of skin and a totally visible hipbone. Dean thought of the way that he could easily make a two step trek to the other side of the counter and press him up against the fridge or the wall or the edge of the table. Still, he exercised great restraint.

Cas started singing along with the song that was playing. The Aerosmith album had looped back around to the start again. Dean smiled at Cas' enthusiasm as he sang and chopped up the last of the food on the cutting board. There were two large heads of broccoli that Cas chopped into smaller chunks. He scooped them into a large pan and added garlic that he smashed with the flat side of his butcher knife. He looked up at Dean and sang out the lyrics louder, and Dean joined him. "Livin' on the Edge" was his kind of jam. He decided that great restraint could be had while dancing with his boyfriend a little in the kitchen.

He sauntered over to the other side of the counter and Cas gave the contents of the pot a little stir, set down his wooden spoon, and then settled his fingers into the belt loops of Dean's pants. Cas was still singing and so was Dean. They swayed together. Dean dragged his hands down Cas' chest and wrapped them around his waist, pressing onward into the back pockets of Cas' jeans. They danced to the song until it ended. Cas let go of Dean with one hand and went back to stirring the broccoli. He let Dean go with his other hand and Dean let him slip away and moved back to the other side of the counter.

Cas got the pot holders and opened the oven, pulled out the steaks, and set them on the counter to rest. He also pulled out the potatoes, twice baked despite Dean's best efforts. "Set the table for me, would ya?" Cas smiled over at Dean.

Dean popped off the stool again and happily complied. "Finally something to do that doesn't involve futile attempts at distracting you."

"You keep trying, and I keep thinking you must be confused about the necessity for dinner."

"Not confused about the need, just the order." Dean opened a cabinet, guessing at where the plates might be. Cas came over to his side and opened a second cabinet containing what he needed.

"Food before sex. You need to be well-fed if you are going to be functioning to your fullest potential." Cas went back to what he was doing at the stove.

Dean carried the plates to the table that Cas had already arranged a little. There was a centerpiece with flowers, evergreens, and some candles. Dean pulled out his zippo and lit the candles. He went back to the kitchen and found the silverware and napkins. He brought those to the table next. "Should I set out the beer?"

"Yeah, I want that." Cas was concentrating, getting everything finished. "I shouldn't have had you take the plates over. You wanna bring those back so I can plate them?" Dean scooped them up and brought them back. Cas took them and waved him off. "Go ahead and open the beers and set them out."

Dean did as he was told. He could see Cas' hands shaking a little, like he was suddenly nervous. "You okay?"

"I hope you find the food tolerable. It's been a long time since I cooked for anyone." Cas brought the plates over to the table heavily loaded with food. Dean took a seat across from Cas as he set down the plate in front of him.

"This smells amazing." Dean leaned over the plate and breathed in the aroma. Cas was making an effort toward not watching him. Dean cut into the steak and took a bite fully conscious of Cas' eyes on him. It didn't matter. He was immediately in some sort of heaven. The spices still clung to the edge of the meat. There was something smoky and something like rosemary. Dean was trying to sift through the flavors that were familiar. "You have to give me the list of ingredients that went into your spice rub. I might need it for the Christmas dinner." Dean tested out the broccoli and smiled up at Cas as he did so.

"Oh, thank God. I was worried about the flavor of that steak most of all. I know that you have a thing about meat. Plus, you are the guy that coaxed complex flavors out of seitan. You set the bar quite high for me." Cas took a sip of his beer.

Dean did the same and then said, "This is nothing like seitan. This is good." They ate silently for a few minutes before Dean spoke again. "Thanks for dinner, Cas."

"Anytime, Dean."

Dean tried the potato next. "Now this might just take the cake." He hummed out in absolute glee around the mouthful of cheese, chives, and potato. The slight crunch of bacon dancing through each bite was the icing on the proverbial cake. His eyes rolled back into his head on a moan through the next bite. "Glorious bacon."

Cas laughed at him, a low rumble of affection rolling out of him with each intake of breath. Dean opened his eyes scooped in another bite and then another. The food was gone before he even knew it. Cas got up then and walked to his side of the table, leaned down, and kissed Dean on the forehead. "You're adorable, you know?"

"I try." Dean smirked up at him and let his tone fall into the realm of the sardonic.

Cas sucked in a breath and smiled at him as he said all low and husky, "I'm falling for you."

Dean didn't breathe. He couldn't remember how. Instead he lived on what oxygen he had already and the look that he was getting from Cas, which was more than enough for anyone to live on. He got up slowly and pulled Cas into a kiss, hands framing his face as he did so. He broke the kiss just long enough to say, "Same."

He felt Cas' hand slide into his, as he led him off to the other end of the apartment. Cas pushed open the door, and Dean let himself be led.

"I was wrong, I'm not falling for you. I fell for you, past tense. I think that it happened when you walked away from me the other day at Bobby's. I thought that I'd never seen someone more gorgeous. Then I thought that I'd never seen someone more genuine. Then I went even further. I thought about everything you have said, and done. You've been patient and kind, understanding and clever."

"Same," Dean said again. He kissed into Cas' neck and felt the drag of Cas' hands as he pulled his shirt up over his head. He slipped back and let him remove it.

"You've been reduced to single syllable sentences, I see." Cas smiled and began removing the rest of Dean's clothes.

"Yes." Dean removed Cas' shirt as well.

"So, the voice that I fell for is going to be virtually non-existent now?"

Dean laughed. "You fell for my voice?"

"Yeah." Cas laughed back as Dean's fingers loosened the button on his jeans, then the zipper was brought down.

"Now you're using the single syllables." Dean leaned in and kissed a stripe up his neck to the back of his ear. "I like when you say things to me in your low growly voice. It does things to me."

Cas leaned into Dean's ear and growled out, "Same."

Dean laughed and so did Cas, and even his laughter was something that Dean found sexy. He slid his hands into the hemline of Cas' pants and sent them as well as Cas' boxers on a trip to the floor. He let his eyes travel over the length of Cas now standing naked before him. "God, I'm in love with you."

"Pretty sure what you are experiencing right now is lust." Cas reached out to Dean and took care of his pants for him.

"Pretty sure it's not." He took ahold of Cas' face, stared long into his deep sea of eyes and said again, "I'm in love with you."

Cas sucked in a breath and replied, "I'm in love with you too."

"So, same?"

"Yes, same."

And words were unnecessary from that time forth. There was the quiet sound of two bodies finding each other, finally. There was the sound of lips pressed to skin. There was the journey to the bed and all that came with that. There was the way that they moved slowly over each other in stark contrast to the frenzied motions governed by passion before. They were gentle with each other, quiet in the way that speaks of deeper things. There were moments of stillness too, where they stared long into each other's eyes. The movement of hips and hands slowly conveying need and want and love.

Dean leaned back feeling Cas more fully in him as he did so. He rested his hands on Cas' chest and raked his fingers up to his neck, pulling him up a little as he did so. He rocked back more and felt the sparks that were building into a fire. His whole body was a stream of electric pulses shaking out through limbs and the air around him. He felt Cas cradle his back as he moved careful not to lose even a small bit of their contact. He could feel his breathing coming to him in quick, short slips of air in through his nose and out in an open-mouthed gasp.

"I love you," Dean breathed out on a sigh. And Cas pushed himself up off his back a little more to be nearer to him. Their movements were quickening. Their eyes, wide open, were on each other. Cas took Dean in hand and lead him to the precipice of satisfaction. Dean concentrated on the feel of slender fingers rolling through a rhythm of their own making. It was like Cas was thinking of a song and his fingers were urging out the tune through Dean's body. "Cas," He breathed out again as he let his eyes close and his hips roll into the motion that Cas was setting up for him.

"Dean," his voice seemed to echo Dean's husky sound. They were losing the ability to maintain their quieter movements. It was all becoming quicker. The pacing, the feelings, the overwhelming intensity coiled and ready to be unleashed. Choking back what seemed to be a curse, Cas rocked up into Dean's arms as they shook through their orgasms. Dean clutched at Cas, holding him against his chest as his heart drummed out a steady beat against Cas.

He kissed into his hair and breathed deep into his skin. They slowly sank down to the mattress. They laid there with each other, limbs a tangle in the sheets. Dean kept running his hand back up through Cas' hair. Cas mirrored his movements. And if eventually they fell asleep like that, it was only after they had gazed their fill.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this will be the last chapter. I may do some time stamps in the future, if there is interest. I started writing this chapter with the intention of writing more. Now that I have finished the chapter though it just feels complete. Thanks for the love that made this into more than a little one-shot. Hopefully, you all don't mind a chapter that is just a fluffy family gathering after the last chapter. 
> 
> On another note, this fic made me want to write a Grumpy Old Men fic featuring Henry and Samuel sharing a home and needling each other. Just the thought of it makes me laugh.

It was cold outside. Dean took a moment to stare out the window at the too white world. The snow was thick. Somehow, he had managed, with the help of Sam, to get it shoveled off of part of the driveway.  _At least the family can park there now._ The toasty kitchen smelled of Christmas dinner, and its aroma stood in stark contrast to the snow that blanketed everything in its cool embrace just outside the window. Dean took a deep breath and closed his eyes a little to concentrate on the many varied ingredients that he picked up on the inhale, rosemary, shallots, sage. And with it all was the warmth that was pooling up in his heart.

He was happy. Dean opened his eyes to the world again and smiled. He had not been unhappy before, not really. He had not been happy though. He had been content. The world did its thing, and he had occupied space within it. True there had been blips of happiness pocking his world here and there. This feeling of happiness though was more than a blip, more than a scratch on the surface of Dean's contentedness. It seemed like something that just might last if he let it have its way.

His parents were off setting the table in anticipation of all of the family that would soon arrive. Amelia had already gone off to pick up grandpa Henry. Sam was futzing around with the decorations in the living room, and also the gifts under the tree. Dean saw him adding to the already rather large pile that had accumulated there since his parents had arrived. Samuel would likely show up in the next couple of minutes with his cache of grandchildren and other assorted relations. Samuel's entourage never seemed to be in danger of shrinking. Dean wondered if there would be new Campbells to meet this year.

There would also be Cas. Dean felt himself smile again as his mind drifted back to the mess of dark brown hair and eyes that looked on him with so much affection that he was sometimes left dizzy just thinking about them. They found a way to not be apart for more than a few hours at a time. Today, Cas had chosen to spend a little time at his home, packing and getting ready for the trek to his parent's place. Dean had the dinner to prepare and his own packing to attend to, so he did not fight him on his departure.

"Hey there lazy bum." Sam came over to his side and looked out the window. "You gonna pull your weight around here or just stare longingly out the window?"

"Did you smell that dinner cooking?" Dean gave Sam a little shoulder bump as he said it. "Plus, I made your lady friend a special pile of seitan."

"Wow, lady friend huh?"

Dean smirked at him and then they both laughed. "In all seriousness, I'm starting to think that I might be a one hit wonder in the whole vegetarian cooking world. She might be getting a little tired of my seitan cooking ways."

"If she is, she hasn't said so to me. I know that I've enjoyed it." Sam had a glow about him that seemed to carry a lot of what Dean was feeling this holiday season. It was nice to see him happy too. "So, is it BBQ seitan again, or did you do something different with it this time?"

"Totally different." Dean waved him back to the counter where he pulled out a platter that he had carefully arranged. He pulled back the foil that was keeping it all warm and toasty for the big event. "See. It's kinda pretty huh?"

"Smells good too." Sam reached out to pluck a piece from the plate, but Dean slapped at him, and Sam's hand retreated. "Hey, there. I just wanted to test it. Wouldn't want to have it go wrong at the table now would you?"

"You're gonna love it. I tested it out on Cas already. It rocks."

"No fair. He already got to try it?"

"Yep, perk of being my boyfriend. Brothers just get bupkis." Dean laughed as he covered it back up again.

"What's the sauce on it?" Sam's hand was still lingering near the platter as if he was just waiting for Dean to let down his guard.

"Well it is similar to a demi-glace." Dean squeezed down the edges of the foil, sealing in the heat once again while keeping Sam out.

"Isn't that like all meaty?"

"I tweaked the recipe significantly. A regular demi-glace involves a veal broth and some other choice ingredients. I made it with some porcini mushrooms, oil and well, a whole lot of other stuff that you won't care about. I made the stuffing vegetarian too." Dean paused a moment then asked hesitantly, "Uh, she eats butter right?"

"She hasn't given up the dairy products entirely yet. I have a hard time imagining Amelia giving up butter and cheese."

"Oh thank God." Dean moved over to the fridge then. He pulled out a bottled beer for himself and one for Sam. He uncapped each with an opener that was resting on the corner of the counter. He handed one over to Sam who took it with a nod. "I may have put like half a pound of butter in everything."

"Well, just because she eats butter, doesn't mean that she wants to clog all of her arteries." Sam laughed and took a pull from the bottle.

"I may be exaggerating a bit." They both turned back to the window almost in unison. "Bet it's Cas."

"Bet it's Amelia and grandpa."

"Five bucks," Dean said as he reached out to seal the bet. Sam shook his hand and together they went back to the window to determine the winner.

"Shit, Dean. Did you see him pull up or something?"

"I may have an ear for cars. His is rather distinctive." Dean moved off toward the hall and added, "Amelia and grandpa just pulled in."

"How do you know?"

"Just heard that wimpy little engine in your Rav4. Time to upgrade is all I'm saying." Dean opened the door and sure enough, Amelia and Henry were just getting out of the car parked behind Cas.

Dean lifted a hand in a near salute of a wave to Henry who returned the wave with a grin. Cas was standing near them balancing some sort of a platter in one hand while taking one of the gifts from Henry to carry on his behalf. Dean moved down to the driveway to help. "I'm all packed and ready to go. How about you?" Dean leaned down and kissed Cas on the cheek as he passed and opened the back door of the Rav4.

"I still have some things to pack up. You can help me later since you are now an expert." Dean smiled over the door at him. Then he said to Henry, "So, how's it going gramps?"

"Oh, you know. Same old, same old. Might stay the night if you all don't mind."

"Mind, we got your room all ready for you. Sam even washed the bedding. You know how domestic he is." Dean took the punch to the shoulder that Sam sent his way.

"Plenty more domestic than you." Dean handed Sam some presents to carry from the back seat. "Don't go making me look bad to Amelia. She could still back out."

"Ha, I'm in it for the long haul." Amelia laughed at them both from the other side of the vehicle. Sam stepped back to carry the armful of stuff up to the house. Cas was still lingering with too much to carry. "Here, let me take the present, Cas." Amelia scooped up the item and Cas looked less like he was going to drop everything.

"Thanks," Cas said as she and Sam headed into the house.

"You want your suitcase now or later, grandpa?" Dean had all the remaining gifts piled up neatly in his arms.

"We could come back for it. You look a little overloaded."

Dean raised an eyebrow and said, "Challenge accepted."

He moved back to the trunk and somehow managed to open it without dropping anything. A little shuffle and he was able to jostle the small suitcase from the trunk to the ground beside him. He let it go and closed the trunk. "Now don't you go breaking anything just to impress anybody." Henry gave a nod back at Cas then and smiled too.

"Pretty sure this isn't impressing him. I just like a good challenge." Dean picked up the suitcase and they made their way to the house. "Sounds like the Campbells are almost here."

"You hear that van already?" Henry walked at his side as they mounted the steps. He took Cas' arm a little for stability. Dean noted it and was glad that his room was on the first floor.

"He needs to let me work on it, but he is a stubborn old man. It's gonna be a two day job, maybe more, but I can make it like new. I think that he doesn't want to be without the vehicle that long. Thing has no personality, so you'd think that it wouldn't be a big deal to live without it for a day or two." They made their way down the hall and Dean left the suitcase near Henry's room. He continued down the hall to the living room and the tree.

"Hey Dad." John marched over to him and pulled him into a hug. Dean set the presents under the tree and then turned back to his dad and grandpa. Cas was standing awkwardly off to the side with his giant platter of food.

"Here Cas, let me take that." Cas moved to his side but he didn't relinquish the platter.

"I'll just drop it off in the kitchen. I'll be right back," Cas said.

"Oh, hi Cas." John reached out and shook Cas' hand which made Cas have to balance the platter in one hand. "Guess we didn't scare you off at Thanksgiving." John smiled as he said it so it was not an intimidation tactic.

"Nah, Thanksgiving was lovely. Figured I'd see how you all do Christmas." The smile Cas wore ran up to his eyes. Dean waved a hand toward the kitchen and Cas followed him in that direction with the platter. John could be heard in their wake as he started up a conversation with Henry. They reached the kitchen and Cas set the platter on the counter. The moment that his hands were free Dean leaned into him at the counter. "Guess you missed me."

"Maybe." Dean had his hands pressed to the counter on either side of him and kissed him just behind his ear, trailing down his jaw to his neck. Cas moved his hands to Dean's waist. "Yeah, actually. There's no maybes about this. I missed you."

"You know I was only gone for a few hours, right?" Cas laughed a low rumble like the beginnings of thunder in winter. Dean leaned back and looked at him up close.

"Guess I'm just more devoted than you." Dean's lip curled up into a smirk.

"I'll prove you wrong later." Cas matched his look and then leaned forward into a kiss. They were interrupted by the sound of what must have been a crowd of epic size stampeding up onto the front porch. There was first the sound of stomping and then the sound of so many voices competing for attention. It was all one voice, the Campbell voice, loud and deep with no discernible words in the noise of it.

Dean stepped back from Cas reluctantly, letting his hands move first up to Cas' arms to trail down and away to his own sides before he turned his attentions to the entryway that would soon be filled. He saw his mom and dad moving as a unit through the room past them. Mary said as she went. "Hey Cas." Then to Dean she said, "Start moving the food out to the dining room table. They sound like they'll need something to quell the noisy chatter a bit."

"Aye aye, captain." Dean laughed at her and gave her a little salute. Soon enough the front door was opened and the noise that was slightly muffled past the door became more of a storm as the entire family seemed to tumble into the room at once. Dean caught glimpses of them all as he moved from the kitchen to the dining room and back. Cas trailed him with hands full each time. They made short work of it. During the final trip, Samuel made his way into the space to survey the food offerings. "Hey there," Dean said as he arranged the final plate near the head of the table. "Your hoard all ready to dive in?"

"Our hoard, Dean. They're your family too ya know." Samuel came over and gave him a hug that ended in a loud back slapping thing that Dean mimicked but not as hard. Samuel stepped back and threw a glance at Cas. "So you came back, huh?"

"Funny how everyone is shocked by this. I'm starting to think that Dean must scare people off with regularity." He stepped forward and shook Samuel's hand. Cas looked to Dean and said, "You have a bad track record I should know about."

"Yeah, I'm just awful. You should run while you can." Dean rolled his eyes as he said it and stepped to Cas' side. He looked back at Samuel and added, "I imagine you'll see a lot more of Cas at these things."

One of the Campbell spawn came into the room like some sort of firecracker that was set to burst. Samuel caught her as she was about to dive past him and scooped her up with squeals and smiles. "Now you know better than to be running in the house like this. You wouldn't want Santa to take back the presents now, would you?"

She immediately calmed. She looked like she was maybe three if Dean was judging based solely on size. Her long blonde hair was all frizzy and tangled. Her dress was twisted to the side as though she had been spending her morning wrestling woodland creatures for fun. "Santa wouldn't take back presents he already delivered. He wouldn't have time." Her statement was so matter of fact, that Dean had to cover his mouth to hide the grin that was there. Cas just turned to the window to hide his response.

Samuel set her down and said, "Best not tempt fate little one. Now go find your cousins. Tell them that we'll be eating now." He looked up to Dean and said, "We are eating now, right?"

"Yeah." The little girl blasted out of the room, limbs flailing about at her sides as she went. "She wasn't here at Thanksgiving. Is that Maggie's kid?"

Samuel let out a hum of acknowledgement, then he found words. "Maggie's back in rehab. She's been staying with Matt and his wife. They got the four of their own though, so it has been a pretty packed house adding just the one more. They're use to it though. Plus, Maggie's gonna be out soon. At least that's the hope."

"'Fraid I don't know that one's name." Dean started to move a chair out for Samuel as the others started to trickle in.

"Oh, she's Sarah." Samuel took a seat, and Dean pointed across from him so that Cas would know where to sit. Dean moved to his side, and the table slowly filled up. John took the head of the table and Mary sat next to him and Samuel. Henry sat on John's other side. The Campbell's filled in the rest of the table on Samuel's side. Sam and Amelia claimed spots next to Dean. Bobby, Ellen, and Jo took up the last spots for the Winchester side. There was a children's table set up next to theirs.

Sam leaned past Amelia and said to Dean, "Hey man, it all looks pretty great."

"Thanks." Dean's eyes darted to the front of the table in a last ditch attempt at assessing the spread of food. It all looked pretty amazing. He felt Cas' hand settle onto his leg beneath the table. He turned to him and smiled. "I'm glad you're here."

"Me too." He returned the smile with a little squeeze to Dean's leg.

John spoke up from the front of the table. "Well, I don't know about all of you, but this looks like some sort of food miracle. I'd like to say first to my son, Dean, wow. You have certainly outdone yourself this year." Dean felt the flush warm his cheeks at his father's praise.

"You might want to hold off on the praise. It might not be all that good." Dean's voice carried an air of good humor.

Sam chimed in, "Now, don't you go implying that this isn't all awesome. Amelia and I snuck some choice bites here and there last night."

Amelia interrupted, "And this morning."

Sam laughed, "And this morning." He reached over behind Amelia and gave Dean's shoulder a squeeze. "If you weren't already set to be my best man at the wedding, I'd totally make you the caterer."

John raised a glass of wine and said, "I guess that I just wanted to propose a toast before we dive in. To Dean. You are, without a doubt, the best cook I know. I say this knowing full well that your mom is just moments from slugging me for handing her title over to you." He looked to her but she was all aglow with holiday happiness. John continued, "You and Sam have gone out of your ways to welcome in all of us for two holidays. You are the kind of kids a father can be proud of. And I am quite proud of you both. Thank you for doing all of this, and for giving our families a place to come together today." He raised his glass and said, "To Dean and Sam." The glasses clinked with hearty cheers and repeated words of gratitude shared all around.

Henry spoke next, "Don't suppose anyone has an appropriate Christmas prayer to offer up over this fine meal so I'll just start digging in."

He was halfway to scooping some green bean casserole onto his plate when Samuel spoke up. "Now you get your hands away from that food, you bloody heathen. We will most definitely have a Christmas prayer before we eat."

"What, you have one ready, old man?" Henry adopted the tone that he had every time he poked at the angry bear that was Samuel. This was a holiday tradition much like Turkey at Thanksgiving, Henry and Samuel would have a verbal scuffle over the Christmas prayer while all waited just inches from food that could be eaten.

"I most certainly do have a prayer. I can't believe that year after year you try to get to the food without a proper bit of thanks offered up to God for all that he has given you this year." Samuel let his gaze run over the varied faces at the table. He was amping up his tent revival preacher tone, and since it was Christmas, everyone allowed it. Some of the Campbells rested their chins on their hands as the speech developed.

Dean leaned over to Cas and whispered, "This happens every year." He leaned back in his seat then and noticed that Samuel was looking right at him. "Sorry grandpa. Please continue."

Samuel nodded and then did in fact continue. Dean let out a little sigh of relief that a direct lecture on respect had been averted. Instead Samuel talked about family and sacrifice. He talked about the blessings that comes from caring for others more than just yourself. He dipped toward the end into talk of God and sacrifice, of the birth of Christ. Then he dipped his head and closed his eyes. Everyone followed suit. Dean cast a glance at Cas past his own dipped head. His eyes were closed and his face seemed to be a picture of solemnity. His lips curled out just a little, and his hands were now folded in front of him in a posture of prayer.

"Heavenly Father, we thank you for this food which we are about to receive and for all the joys and even the sorrows that this year has brought to us." There was a noise of giggling stifled that came from the children's table. Samuel paused pointedly at that moment and the noise stopped. He continued, "We thank you for presenting us with your only son. We can never be worthy of such a gift, but tonight we thank you for it just the same. We thank you for it as we eat from the bountiful food that you have created, and we will thank you again later as we exchange gifts much like the shepherds and wise men did so long ago. Heavenly Father thank you for the blessings that this night has brought to us. Thank you for family, new and old. Thank you for our children and all of the promise that they hold. Thank you for the joy of togetherness that we all feel today. It is what carries us when times are hard. Thank you Lord for all of these things, and for all that is to come in this new year. In your name we pray, Amen."

The family echoed him in unison with their own  _amen._  Henry spoke up then with his hand already around the serving spoon, "So this heathen is ready to eat now. Dig in." Samuel gave him a scowl from across the table and Henry added, "You too sourpus."

"Henry Winchester, I'll never understand how you managed to raise such a respectful son. I can only imagine that your advanced age has caused some of your mental faculties to diminish a bit." Samuel reached out and scooped some potatoes onto his plate. This seemed to be the cue that the rest of the Campbells needed to dive into the food. The clank and scrape of foods ravenously pulled to plates was a type of music.

"Well now Samuel, we are nearly the same age, but you're always quick to point out the mere six months of extra living that I have over you. I almost think that you resent not being the eldest family member at the table." Henry speared a hunk of meat for his plate and brought it over with a thunk. "I know deep down you like my ornery ways. You even wish you could be more like me, I reckon."

"Oh, thank the heavens above that I don't have any of your characteristics." Samuel huffed out as he passed a bowl down the line.

Amelia decided to interrupt the banter, having already sampled the seitan that Dean had made sure to place right in front of her seat. "Dean, this." She pointed enthusiastically at her plate. Her mouth was busy chewing a little as she spoke.

"You find the seitan tolerable?" Dean smiled over at her.

"Seriously Dean. We need to have seitan present at every holiday feast. Amazing doesn't begin to describe it." Amelia was spearing another piece as she spoke.

Samuel spoke up then, "I'm beginning to think that you keep making this seitan stuff because you might be a heathen too." Samuel pointed his fork at Dean then, making his point with furrowed brows.

Henry said, "Let me try some of this heathen food, Dean." Henry lifted his plate and held it out to Dean.

"Sure thing, gramps." Dean plucked up a piece and set it on Henry's plate. He turned his gaze onto Samuel then and asked, "Wanna try some seitan? I made sure to roast the hell out of it." Dean tried to temper his expression, but it was obvious by his smirk that he was pleased with his pun. Half the table groaned.

"Dean stop tormenting your grandpa," Mary said with an eye roll.

"I'm not. I'm being a good host. Plus grandpa knows me." He turned his attention to Samuel and caught a glint of affection in his squint.

"Fine, I'll try your heathen food." Dean had to process Samuel's words for a moment before he understood, then Samuel lifted up his plate like Henry and held it out to him. "Come on. I ain't getting any younger here."

"Coming right up, grandpa." Dean pulled a small slice out, running it through the demi glace, then set it on his plate. He really wanted him to like it, but he was trying not to show it.

Samuel took a bite and let the food slowly get chewed. He didn't look at Dean. He seemed to be contemplating the flavors. The nuances of the dish would require some consideration. Dean down played the effort that went into its creation. The sauce took hours and a list of ingredients as long as his arm.

The first effort happened at Cas' place. He had been distracted, but in all of the best ways. He had Cas cut up the herbs. He had watched as Cas' careful fingers pulled the tiny leaves of thyme from their branches. He had held it together all the way until Cas had started sampling the ingredients, slipping little things here and there past his lips. Dean had thought that it would be his duty and privilege to press Cas into every counter and wall in existence. That certainly slowed the cooking process, but neither of them had complained.

Samuel interrupted Dean's happy thoughts. "This should not be called seitan." Dean stared at him waiting for the condemnation that he thought would follow. "It is too heavenly for such a name."

Dean felt Cas' hand fall onto his leg as if he knew the strain he had felt in that moment between tasting and praise. Dean swallowed and dipped his head. "Thanks."

They ate and drank and each in their turn sang the praises of the meal. At some point the giant platter that Cas had brought, made the full circle back to the head of the table. It had three of the twice baked potatoes on it. The rest had been presumably been eaten with great enthusiasm by the rest of the table's occupants. Dean took one to add to his plate and passed the rest on to Cas and the head of the table. Henry took one and then John and Mary took the last two. Dean ate his and basked in the memories of that first night spent with Cas. He threw a glance at Cas who was watching him eat and said, "You gonna watch me eat the whole time or are you gonna eat your own food?"

"I ate plenty. Plus, I wanted to see if you liked the potatoes as much this time as the last time." Cas stabbed a mound of stuffing and brought it to his lips. Dean watched it pass into Cas' mouth and redirected his attention to his own eating to distract himself.

"It's amazing. Just like last time." Dean smiled around the bite as he felt Cas' foot snake up around his ankle. He took another bite and smiled over at Cas. "So are we leaving at some ungodly hour of the morning tomorrow?"

The rest of the table was all engaged in the noisy hum of eating and talking. Cas cocked his head to the side and replied, "I did say that they have early present opening customs right?"

"Yeah."

"Well they start around 8:00 am and they live a few hours away. We really need to leave here around 5:00 if we don't want to incur the ire of my mom."

"Ire, huh?"

"Sorry. She gets worried when I travel. Then she gets upset when I am late, thinking that I am dead in a proverbial ditch somewhere. Plus she is excited to meet you. I haven't exactly been big on sharing in the past. Haven't had much to share with them to be honest." Castiel smiled into a final bite of food before setting down his fork in satisfaction.

Henry leaned over and asked, "So you're dragging Dean off to meet your family next?"

"Yeah, figured that they should meet him since he keeps sticking around."

"Hey, you said that like it's a bad thing." While Dean was saying it, a lump of something beamed him in the back of the head.

Amelia said, "Oh," as she jumped back a little when the biscuit fell onto her plate. Dean turned and saw Jo grinning from the other end of the table.

"That's what happens when you put me this close to the children's table." Jo added a little wave to the words.

"Next year we should just put you right there in the middle of the children's table." Dean picked the biscuit up off of Amelia's plate and set it on his own. He slid back from his seat and wandered over to Jo. Others started to get up to take their plates to the sink as if Dean's movement was a signal for the end of the eating. He got to Jo and wrapped her up in a hug that found his arms tight around her upper body. "You were just feeling neglected, weren't you?" He said it in that tone that one uses for the very young or sometimes the most adorable of animals. She tried to shrug out of the embrace, but Dean just kept holding on. He brought up his knuckles to her head and rubbed them along her scalp, fluffing up her hair significantly.

Bobby said, "Now you two, stop rough housing."

"My house, my rules," Dean laughed out.

Henry called down to the other end of the table, "Respect your elders, you whipper snapper."

Dean looked up and laughed at him. He pressed a kiss into Jo's messed up hair and said, "Merry Christmas, kinda-cousin."

He let her go and she stood up. She hugged him back. "Same to you." He stepped back from her, but something about her look said,  _I'll get you later._  He smiled and gave her a little nod as he made his way back to his end of the table to clear away the dishes.

There would be present opening next, and then desserts, if they could stomach them. The family had started settling in around the tree which was bright with blue Christmas lights and large silver velvet bows. Amelia and Sam had decorated it, as a sort of married couple practice run.

Dean was cleaning up a little when Cas came up behind him and wrapped his arms around Dean's waist. Dean could see out to the family around the tree, happy and warm looking under the holiday lights. He felt the warmth at his back. He leaned his head to the side. "Best Christmas I've ever had."

Cas murmured into his ear. "You haven't even opened presents yet."

"I could say so many cheesy things right now Cas." Instead he turned to Cas and kissed him lightly at first then a little deeper. He slid his hand up under the edge of Cas' shirt, feeling the warm skin there and the twitch of his flesh as he ran his fingernails along a ticklish spot.

"Eww." The voice came from low and near them. Dean let Cas go and looked behind them at the tiny child giving them the stink eye.

"Really, blocked by a three year old." Dean rolled his eyes and pressed his head down into Cas' shoulder.

Cas pushed him back and came down into a crouch by the kid. "What's your name?"

She scrunched up her nose at him and said, "Sarah." Cas held out his hand to her and she shook it timidly.

"Nice to meet you." Cas smiled at her.

She let go of his hand and said, "Kissing is gross." Then she bolted out of the room to the rest of the family.

Cas stood up again and kissed Dean quickly before heading into the living room. "So gross, Dean." He laughed as he went.

"Yeah, just disgusting." He grabbed Cas' hand as they made their way into the living room. They found an unoccupied Lazyboy recliner and Dean sat on the arm of it while Cas settled into the actual seat. The children tore through paper and ribbons the moment that the adults handed them out. Dean smiled at the chaos of it all. Cas did too. Mary came around with a tray full of cider. Dean asked if the cider was of the courageous variety. Mary rolled her eyes. Apparently this was the season of the eye roll.

Presents were passed around to Dean and Cas. Cas looked down at the tag on his and saw that it was from Mary and John. He tipped his head to the side and said, "Really?"

"Of course. Open it." Mary smiled over at him.

He opened it and found a dark blue scarf and knit cap. "They're gorgeous."

Mary said, "I've been doing a bit of knitting lately. Started throwing this one together right after Thanksgiving."

"You are too kind, Mary Winchester."

"Hey, I helped," John added.

"My apologies, Mr. Winchester. Thank you."

John rolled his eyes now and said, "It's John. Mr. Winchester is my dad."

Henry said, "Oh, please don't call me that. We are all on a first name basis here. Family doesn't require titles."

Cas blushed and leaned into Dean a little. "He's saying I'm family?"

"Sounds like it." Dean kissed the top of his head and opened his own present. Cas wrapped the scarf around his neck and put on the hat. He looked cute, Dean thought. His hair puffed out around the bottom edges of the hat in little brown puffs. Dean's present was a collection of records.

John was watching Dean open it and said, "I think I found the ones you were missing. A little Creedance, a little Seger, and a little old school Cash seemed appropriate."

"These are great, dad. You've been thumbing through my collection, huh? No other way you could have known that I was missing these." Dean smoothed his hand over the cover of the Johnny Cash album with reverence.

"Maybe got a little help from Sammy there." John nodded over to Sam who was opening something that Amelia had handed to him. John said, "That is from your mom and I both, Sam. It's for Amelia too."

"Thanks, guys." Amelia reached over and helped Sam rip through the rest of it. She pulled out an envelope and they opened that next.

"You said you two wanted to honeymoon in Mexico, right?" Mary grinned.

"Oh, mom, this is too much. No, really." Sam got up and Amelia followed him as he marched over to them with what appeared to be tickets in hand.

Dean piped up, "Hey, I want to go to Mexico." His tone was a mock whine.

"Find someone willing to marry you and we'll talk." John threw a pointed look at Cas. Then Dean looked at Cas with a raised brow.

"We could totally get a trip to Mexico, Cas. Whatcha say?"

Cas laughed and said, "I've heard of people marrying for health insurance, but a marriage of convenience for a trip to Mexico seems a bit extreme." Dean just laughed at him.

By the end of the present opening chaos, the children were playing with all of the noisiest toys while the adults added batteries to things not yet experimented with. Sam was running around the room with one of the tiny Campbell kids on his shoulders. The kid was wearing a superhero cape and he called out, "Faster moose, faster." Everyone laughed at the spectacle of it all as Sam leapt over the pile of discarded boxes and toys, rushing off to the hall to run through the house. Some of the other children followed behind him in a chorus of  _me next, me next._

Dean got up and roamed out of the room. Cas followed him. "Looking for a little quiet?" Dean asked him as he took his hand.

"Maybe a little." Dean leaned down and pressed his forehead to Cas' and let their noses touch. "Come with me." Cas leaned back and took his hand and pulled him toward the front door.

"Should I grab a coat?"

"Maybe. It is pretty cold out there." Dean reached over and grabbed a bulky grey peacoat.

They stepped out into the winter wonderland of the front yard, and Cas made his way to his car. "I hope you aren't worried about meeting my family tomorrow. I realize that I haven't done a good job of describing them to you. They'll really love you."

"Is that why you dragged me out into the cold? I'm not worried. Worst case scenario, they think I'm not good enough for their son and then you dump me on principle. No worries."

"Oh God, Dean. You are worried."

"No, I was joking. Are you worried?" Dean pulled him close and let his fingers fiddle with the little tufts of hair that poked out around the edges of the knit cap.

Cas let out a little puff of steam. "I'm worried that they'll make you feel awkward. They are not as warm and fuzzy as your family. It's so comfortable here. I mean, your mom knit me a hat. How can my family even remotely stack up against that?"

"It isn't a competition. I'm sure I will love meeting them, and all of the fun conservative theories that they offer up will be so much entertainment." Dean felt Cas stiffen up a little, so he added, "They have a great son, so I already like them if that helps."

Cas relaxed again. He stepped away from Dean and opened his car door. "That helps."

"We going somewhere, 'cause if so we should let someone know, so they don't miss us."

"No. I have something for you." Cas dipped into the car and then came back out. He had a tiny box in his hands with a little hand tied ribbon on the top. "Here."

"What is it?" Dean cupped the tiny box in his hands.

"The world may never know." Now Cas was rolling his eyes at him. "Open it."

Inside was a key. "Cool. A key. I always wanted one." Dean's lip rolled up into a smirk.

"Wow, jerk." Cas slipped his arms around Dean's waist then. "See if I ever give you something nice like a key to my apartment in the future."

"Oh, oh," Dean stammered. "Oh, that's like kinda huge. This is to your place?"

"Yeah, I want you to be able to come and go at your leisure." Cas grinned up at him. "I'm gonna get pretty busy again after the holiday break ends. It'll just be for a few more months, but the thought of you just randomly being in my home sometimes when I get off work or finish up a class, is literally every good thing."

"Wow. This is way better than what I got you. I need to go get a key made for you like right now. You think the hardware store is open on Christmas?"

"No, likely not. You don't even lock your house up, though, so it'll hardly matter if I have a key."

"It's the principle of the thing, Cas. I want you to feel at home here too." He leaned in and kissed him. "Best boyfriend ever."

"What did you get me?" Dean looked off away from Cas for a moment. "You said that the key was better than what you got for me, but I don't recall getting a present from you."

"It's cheesy now. The key was way better." Cas reached up and turned his face toward him.

"I really must know now." Dean stepped back and took his hand.

"Come on. Back inside." They walked hand in hand back into the house. Sam was still the galloping moose. Dean pulled Cas up the stairs to his room. Once inside he pushed the door closed behind them. "We could just skip this part." Dean waggled his eyebrows a little and motioned toward his bed.

"Seriously, what did you get me?" Cas punched him in the shoulder lightly.

Dean shrugged and walked over to his nightstand. There was a present sitting there. "I didn't want to give it to you with all of my family around. I get enough ribbing from them without adding any ammunition to the situation." He picked up the present and handed it to Cas. The ribbon was red and pointy. The paper was a bright green.

Cas gently removed the wrapping like he was trying to preserve it. He popped the box top off once he had removed the paper. Inside was a leather bracelet with a silver hanging medallion. The medallion said,  _Always_. "Oh, Dean. This is…"

Dean ran a hand back up into his hair. "Yeah, I know, cheesy."

Cas put the box on the bed next to him and launched up into Dean's arms. He kissed him hard. Dean was surprised at first then went with it. When Cas let up he said, "I'm lucky you found me. I'm lucky you wanted this." He kissed him again, trailing his kiss down to Dean's neck. He had Dean pressed to the door now.

"If I'd known how much you were going to like it I would have bought you ten of them." Dean felt Cas' hands pressed to his hips and wondered how long they could stay in here before the family noticed the absence. "I think I was always looking for you. I guess I wanted you to know that." Cas stopped kissing him and stared at him like he was memorizing the moment, and the intimate details of Dean's features. "You make me happy, Cas."

"I'll wear it everyday." He dropped his hands to Dean's and threaded their fingers together. "I hope that it will always feel like this, you and me."

"Me too, Cas. Me too." Dean leaned into his forehead again and stared at all of his features up close, the little lines at the corners of his eyes, the way that his lips were just a little chapped. They could hear the merry shouts of Sam and the children drifting up the stairs. They could hear the beginnings of a Christmas carol being played on the piano. It was cold outside, but his world was warm. Dean smiled into the moment, and the future that he felt was in his arms and always would be.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you all enjoyed this. If you get bored, you can find me on Tumblr as [Spearywritesstuff](http://spearywritesstuff.tumblr.com/).
> 
> Drop me a comment or a kudos if you liked this. Thanks a bunch.


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